Chimanimani court orders bride price returned after irregular marriage

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A Chimanimani community court presided over by Chief Saurombe has ordered that a bride price be returned after it emerged that a woman’s daughter had been married off without the involvement or blessing of her biological father.

The dispute began when Phyllis Makamanzi took her maternal uncles to Chief Saurombe’s court seeking explanations for a string of tragic events affecting her children. She told the court she had consulted prophets who suggested her misfortunes were linked to actions by her uncles.

The court found that the uncles had accepted the bride price and facilitated the marriage without notifying or involving the girl’s father, Christopher Chitsa, and directed that the payment be refunded so the marriage could be properly concluded with the father’s participation.

Family testimony and bride price payment

During proceedings, it emerged that Phyllis’ husband, Gift Tinoonda, had paid US$340 in bride price to Phyllis’ maternal relatives without the father’s knowledge. Tinoonda told the court that after the couple’s second child died, Phyllis’ uncles took her away for consolation, and he paid the roora to the Makamanzi family.

Phyllis’ mother, Wisper Makamanzi, told the court that Christopher Chitsa is the girl’s biological father. She said Phyllis had prevented her from inviting Chitsa to the marriage ceremony because Phyllis resented him for not raising her. Wisper explained that she separated from Chitsa while pregnant after he rejected the pregnancy, and that his relatives had chased her away when she eloped. When Tinoonda sought to pay the bride price, Wisper attempted to contact Chitsa so he could be present, but Phyllis insisted he had no role in her upbringing and blocked the invitation.

Chief Saurombe’s ruling and cultural reasoning

Chief Saurombe criticised the process and said the lack of paternal blessing could be the source of Phyllis’ troubles. He ordered the Makamanzis to reimburse Tinoonda so the roora ceremony could be repeated with Chitsa or his relatives present. The chief emphasised that while maternal relatives may claim compensation for raising a child, the formal bride price belongs to the father’s side. He said raising a niece does not give uncles the right to accept roora in place of the father.

Chief Saurombe said the father should at least receive a token amount from the bride price as a symbolic blessing if he did not participate in the child’s upbringing. He urged the family to expedite the reversal so the couple can try for another pregnancy and monitor whether the same problems recur. The chief added that if the issues persist after the corrected marriage process, the court would provide further assistance.

Cultural implications and next steps

The ruling underscores the importance of following customary marriage procedures and securing paternal blessings to avoid social and spiritual complications, according to the community court. The Makamanzis were instructed to return the bride price promptly and to involve Chitsa or his representatives in the renewed roora ceremony so the marriage is recognised by both paternal and maternal clans. Chief Saurombe said the corrective steps are intended to restore cultural order and protect the couple’s future well-being.

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