A woman from Kuwadzana, whose identity has been revealed as Anotida Gatawa, has filed a case against her husband, Philemon Machadu, at the Harare Civil Court. Gatawa claims that her husband has been obstructing her from pursuing employment opportunities.
According to Gatawa, she recently received a job offer at Chicken Inn, but her husband has been actively preventing her from accepting the position. She expressed her desire to empower herself through work and education, as her husband has been making threats to abandon her and their children.
Gatawa further revealed that her husband has occasionally expelled her from their home and subjected her to verbal abuse. These experiences have motivated her to seek financial independence and establish something in her name, should her husband decide to leave her for another woman.
In response to the allegations, Philemon denied obstructing his wife’s career aspirations. He claimed that he loves his wife and has made efforts to secure employment opportunities for her. Philemon stated that he even initiated a hardware shop in their neighborhood, registered in Anotida’s name, with the profits being utilized for the well-being of their children.
During the court proceedings, Magistrate Sharon Mashavira granted an order in favor of Anotida Gatawa. Expressing her disapproval of Philemon’s actions, the magistrate emphasized the importance of mutual support and economic cooperation between spouses. She denounced the alleged economic abuse of Anotida and stressed the significance of allowing her to contribute to the family’s financial needs.
“In this day and age, you’re barring your wife from going to work, you two are supposed to help each other fend for your family rather than you economically abusing her,” the magistrate said.
The ruling aims to enable Anotida Gatawa to pursue her desired employment opportunity without hindrance, encouraging a more equitable and supportive environment within the marital relationship.
