GOVERNMENT has succumbed to pressure and agreed to provide separate bedrooms for the 14 wives of a polygamous former Chiadzwa villager, Philemon Johwani Kambeni, who recently camped at the Mutare district administrator’s offices together with his other seven wives demanding adequate accommodation for his huge family.
BY CLAYTON MASEKESA
Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Mandiitawepi Chimene yesterday said Kambeni will this week be allocated additional houses at Arda Transau to cater for his family.
Kambeni, his 14 wives and over 60 children were among the 1 000 families displaced by diamond miner Anjin from their original area in Chiadzwa in 2011 to pave way for mining activities.
Other families were allocated four-roomed houses each, while Kambeni’s 14 wives were asked to share an eight-bedroomed house.
Kambeni, however, turned down the offer, demanding a separate bedroom for each of his wives. In August last year, Mutare district administrator Cosmas Chiringa allocated an eight-bedroomed house to Kambeni’s wives, leaving out six others.
Early this month, Kambeni and his nine wives camped at Chiringa’s office protesting against the non-availability of the promised accommodation.
Kambeni had also argued that he was tired of unfulfilled promises.
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But, Chimene said: “There will be seven houses to be allocated to Kambeni’s wives. We hope that that process will be done this week.”
The extra houses will be from Marange Resources.
Chimene added: “We were not happy with the local and international media coverage the story was getting. This was not good for our government. But now we want to show that we are organised and we will be offering him the houses.”
Marange Resources chief executive officer Mark Mabhudu confirmed that his company would offer Kambeni the seven houses.
The Kambeni family claims that it was now poorer following its forced relocation to Arda Transau Estate in February 2011.
