The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
While lockdowns have been instrumental in curbing the spread of the coronavirus, they have afforded most families rare and “unusual” opportunities to spend more time together.
Ordinarily, this would be expected to allow families to bond.
However, this does not seem to be the case in this instance.
Between June 2020 and May this year, at least 2 140 divorce applications were made, according to statistics provided by the Registrar of the High Court Mr Donald Ndirowei.
This represents an increase of 688 from the 1 522 divorce applications filed in the comparative period between 2018 and 2019.
Of the total applications received in 2020 and the first half this year, 454 cases were granted while 1 686 are still pending.
“In 2019, a total of 1 132 divorce applications were granted, but take note that some of these cases may have been filed prior to 2019. Reasons for the divorce cases vary, but what is most worrying is the upward trend,” said Mr Ndirowei.
The statistics could just be a tip of the iceberg, as they do not include unregistered customary marriages that can be terminated without recourse to the courts.
The High Court deals with cases of couples married under Marriages Act Chapter 5:11.
Some of them are referred from the lower courts.
“The highest number of the divorce cases are a result of infidelity, while some are due to domestic violence and poverty. Domestic violence cases and poverty are believed to have been fuelled by the Covid-19-induced lockdowns,” said Kadhau Law Chambers lawyer Meluleki Lunga, who has been handling some of the cases.
“Divorce applications are now common and I think they have reached a high since I started practicing. Some of the marriages are not even going beyond a year. Couples often cite irreconcilable differences as the reason for their divorce, but a closer look will reveal infidelity to be the major reason in eight out of 10 cases.”
Despite spirited exhortations from political, religious, traditional and community leaders for couples to jealously guard their marriages, the trend still continues.
After five years of marriage, Theresa from Kadoma and her husband filed for divorce at the beginning of this year.
They neither had squabbles nor even considered separating before the pandemic. Their union, however, became strained when the husband began working from home.
“The more time I spent with him, the more I noticed our differences. It was becoming difficult for us to live under one roof as husband and wife. I never knew that he was abusive until recently,” said the mother of two.
Sharai Chivasa finds herself in a similar predicament as she recently divorced her husband of 12 years.
The couple started having problems after their stalls were demolished by the local authority during the first lockdown in March last year.
On several occasions, she was physically and verbally abused by her husband while her children watched.
She finally decided to call time on the marriage.
“The situation turned nasty midway into the first lockdown. We struggled to make ends meet and my husband became an alcoholic, arguing he was dealing with stress. He would abuse me and it got worse. I was then left with no choice, but to file for divorce. I had to make sure my children and I were safe,” she recounts.
Such experiences are becoming increasingly common.
But, what exactly is causing the spike in divorce cases?
Sociologist and author Dr Vengesai Chimininge argues that our social fabric is under threat from foreign influences.
“Divorce used to be taboo back in the day. Society was convinced that it was a curse to divorce. Dirty linen was never washed in public, so this meant that all problems would be resolved within the family and life went on, often times without the children getting to know what was happening between the parents. Sadly, the new cultures have redefined societal expectations and the young generation now finds it easy to give up on their marriages,” he said.
However, psychologist Blessed Chinyangare believes that most people are frustrated that they can no longer take care of their families.
“Homes used to be a haven for many. During the weekend they would go out and unwind, but Covid-19 came and changed everything. It left most couples vulnerable. Poverty triggers all sorts of crises in families.”
“ . . . they should make use of marriage counsellors each time they have challenges.”
House of Refuge International Ministries Apostle Partson Machengete says couples should follow the religious manual for marriages to “stand the test of time”.
“In recent years, long distance unions are failing to survive. Unlike back when our grandparents could stay in the city or another country for years and still come back to their committed partners, these days there are a lot of temptations that open doors for divorce. Only prayer can help.”
Experts opine that divorce can negatively impact on children.
“You can tell from a child’s behaviour that they are a victim of divorce. Some become jumpy or even lose interest in school,” Little Angels Junior School teacher Ms Angela Chigaba observed.
Social commentator Dr Rebecca Chisamba contends that cases that go through the courts are less compared to those dealt with at household and family level.
“In most cases, couples, especially those married under customary law, agree to go separate ways without involving the courts. But while it may be amicable for the parting couple, divorce has ripple effects that reflect on children later in life.
“The effects of what happens in a child’s early life manifest 10 or so years later. Often, we do not look at the future consequences and in so doing we are creating dangerous time bombs,” she said.
Headman Zvinowanda Pfumbidzai of Machera Village, Hwedza, similarly agrees.
“Divorce, whether nasty or peaceful, affects the children’s mental health and relations within the extended family. It haunts them later in life and in most cases, their marriages will also not last. Traditionally we believe divorce results in curses, so parents should fight to stay in the union,” he said.
“ . . . of late people are marrying for the wrong reasons. I think parents, guardians and the church are to blame for putting children under pressure. At times they commit before they are ready to settle. We have some that marry to achieve a certain social status, but in most cases, it does not end well.”
Going forward, the traditional leader urged couples to value the extended family.
“Sometimes what you consider a problem might prove not to be when you share it especially with trusted family elders like aunts, uncles or grandparents. In fact, couples should make it a priority to discuss with close relatives whatever challenges they will be facing.”
The divorce crisis is not peculiar to Zimbabwe. Leading British law firm Stewarts registered a 122 percent increase in divorce cases between July and October last year due to lockdown challenges while South Africa has recorded a more than 50 percent increase in the same period.
