The Sunday Mail
Patrick Chitumba
Midlands Bureau Chief
FINALLY, her soul can rest in peace.
This was the chorus in Gokwe on Tuesday last week during the burial of Chipo Sigudhu’s remains, which had spent 42 months in a mortuary.
The deceased’s body had remained stuck in a funeral parlour following a dispute between her husband and her uncles over lobola/roora when she died.
However, Sigudhu’s maternal relatives finally came together after seeing an article published in The Sunday Mail on July 5 headlined, “Corpse’s unwelcome stay in morgue. . .Spends three years in mortuary”.
Twenty-four members of the Sigudhu family including the deceased’s mother and daughter Ruvarashe (25) descended on Gokwe for the burial. Unfortunately, the Chikombingo and Sigudhu families failed to bury the hatchet and the deceased’s husband, Mr Patrick Chikombingo, was nowhere near the scene. After arriving at Gokwe Centre, the Sigudhu family, some of whom were said to have come from Dotito, Chivhu, Mhondoro and Beitbridge, made their way to Gokwe South district social development officer, Mr Elastas Chihwehwete’s office, at Government complex. Two teams under the guidance of Mr Chihwehwete were formed — one tasked with purchasing a coffin and the other food, cement and other items to be used for Sigudhu’s burial.
There was drama when Sigudhu’s relatives decided that the remains had to pass through Mr Chikombingo’s shop.
This was against his will as he had shunned the burial. However, they still went ahead but as soon as Mr Chikombingo saw the funeral procession, he allegedly locked himself and his youngest son inside his house.
It is also alleged that Mr Chikombingo refused to allow one of his daughters, Ruvimbo, to join the rest of the family at the burial. The other sibling, Ropafadzo, was not at home amid allegations that she was chased away by her father. Curious neighbours came to witness the drama in their numbers such that they were no longer observing social distancing rules, which are in place to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The coffin was placed at the entrance to Mr Chikombingo’s store, making it impossible for customers to go in or out of the shop. Pastor Terrence Sigudhu led the prayer session and family members asked for forgiveness, and urged unity.
The late Sigudhu’s daughter, Ruvarashe, who is now based in Beitbridge where she is staying with her husband, said she was happy that her mother had finally been laid to rest.
“I thank you all for coming, all these years I wasn’t happy. I had no choice. I couldn’t do anything to force my father or relatives to afford my mother a decent burial since I’m just a child.”
A neighbour, Mr Mbabala Mpofu, said he had been concerned the deceased took long to be buried. He said society should frown upon such occurrences, which were taboo and brought untold pain and suffering, especially to the children.
Family spokesperson Mrs Patience Sigudhu-Madamombe had no kind words for Mr Chikombingo saying he was an attention seeker and a selfish husband. She said because of his actions including refusing to bury Chipo three years ago, her family had been portrayed in bad light. She said Mr Chikombingo was and still is the only son-in-law they knew until Chipo’s death even though he had not paid lobola.
She said if Mr Chikombingo had issues with his in-laws, he could have tried to reach out to them since he knew where they were, instead of lying to the press that he is just an innocent person being abused by his in-laws.
“In the story you published, Mr Chikombingo said he had separated from Chipo but according to the children it’s a lie. He had not paid lobola contrary to what he told you. As you can see, we are a united family and not greedy as he told you. There were some challenges faced by our elders who came after the passing on of Chipo and some were told that the matter had been resolved. Some were in the dark until the story that was published in The Sunday Mail,” Mrs Madamombe said.
She accused Mr Chikombingo of being a liar, a cheat and an abusive man as evidenced by the fact that he refused to attend the burial of his wife as well as blocking his children from attending their mother’s burial.
Mr Chihwehwete said as the Department of Social Welfare, they were happy that Chipo had been buried. Government, through the Department of Social Welfare, affords unclaimed bodies a pauper’s burial as a way of safeguarding the dignity of individuals even in death. The District Medical Officer, Dr Austin Mashoko, showered this publication with praises for the initial story which made the Sigudhu family come together to bury her remains.
“We owe this development to the story that was published in The Sunday Mail. We just hope we don’t get such complicated matters again,” he said.
Mr Chikombingo, who two weeks ago said greed on the part of Chipo Sigudhu’s relatives saw all parties abandon the remains in a mortuary, could not be reached for comment.
Chipo’s remains were buried at Gokwe Centre cemetery.
