Polygamy is fine — Gumbura's wives

Gumbura's wives

HARARE - Jailed Independent End Time Message founder Robert Martin Gumbura’s 11 wives (pictured) have said that there is nothing wrong with polygamy, denying claims that they were brainwashed by the famous pastor.

Speaking to the Daily News on Sunday this week at their Marlborough home, the women claimed that their husband, who is currently serving 40 years in prison for rape, respected them.

His third wife Tecla denied the general’s public sentiment that they were brainwashed.

“People are saying we are brainwashed, but we are not. The problem is that there is quite a number of us staying here together as Gumbura’s wives, but people should stop trying to manage our lives,” Tecla said.

She said that there was nothing wrong with polygamy. “Barika rakanaka (polygamy is good), because children will not suffer. In our case, all the children are here at one place and it’s good for all of us to know each other,” she said.

She said in their case, Gumbura provided for all his children in the same way. “According to us, they (members of the public) are the ones who are brainwashed,” Tecla said.

The women sensationally claimed that it was clear that all married men had “small houses” but said that Gumbura was different in that he brought his wives together.

His second wife Queen said that men were into several women. “It is our society, which does not accept it, but I am still to see a man without a ‘small house’. I think Gumbura respected us,” she said.

She said men were fond of polygamy but were only limited by their wives who would not accept such an arrangement. She however, said that did not stop men from having extra-marital affairs.

“Barika rakatonakira madzimai (polygamy is good for women),” she said, adding that if a man really loved his wife he would introduce her to his “small house”. She said that the man would provide for the women as his wives. Queen told the Daily News on Sunday that polygamy has been in existence since time immemorial.

“Polygamy has been there traditionally and even in the Bible,” she said. Gumbura’s other wife Amadeus, said that she fell in love with Gumbura, fully aware of his polygamous marriage.

She said that it was not proper for one to criticise a neighbour’s way of handling issues, just because he or she does not practice the same at his or her house.

During the interview, the women vowed to remain faithful to their husband, adding that they were going to wait until the day Gumbura would be released from prison. They said they held regular prayers seeking Gumbura’s release from prison. They rubbished rumours that they could possibly be cheating on their husband.

“Vanhu vanonokerwa, ndofunga tiri kubhowa vanhu vakawanda, vavengi vababa (people are becoming impatient and have been riled up by our posture to wait for our husband, including his enemies).

“We are going to prove to them that it is a lie that you cannot wait for your husband once he has been sent to jail,” Queen said. She said that the two years that Gumbura has been in jail had not pushed them into seeing other men. One of the wives Pretty said: “I believe life is a field of unlimited possibilities, it can’t be an obstacle in our case.” 

Expressing their undying love to Gumbura, the women religiously followed proceedings of their husband’s trial from the first day, until his conviction and subsequent sentencing. Dailynews