InterPress News Service (IPS) - Monday, August 3, 1998
Morris Nyakudya

Shocked by a chain of deaths, the residents of Chief Nembire's area in Mt. Darwin, in the central province of Mashonaland, are demanding that the tradition, called "Nhaka" in the Shona language, must be stopped.

Non-governmental organisations (ngos) are seeking community involvement and proper legislation to fight the deeply-rooted tradition.

The practice, originally intended to ensure continuity of responsibilities while providing security for a widow, is becoming a major cause of transmission of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), which causes AIDS, according to health workers. More than 10 percent of this Southern African country of 12 million people is HIV-positive and some 700 die every week of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), official estimates say.

Aylwin Gonzo, a resident in the area, narrated to IPS cases that have left the community shell-shocked.

In one instance, a polygamous man died as a result of AIDS, with his brother 'inheriting' his two wives. After a few months, the first wife succumbed to the disease, followed by the brother.

Another brother then took over the second wife, but he also died, while the second wife is seriously ill.

In another case a man died leaving a wife and three children. The 'inherited' wife died soon after and the new husband followed, leaving his original wife and children.

"This practice is a breeding ground for the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections," and is also increasing the number of orphans, said Netsai Shambare, a pre- school teacher in the village.

For Zorodzai Machekanyanga, who handles information for the Women and Aids Support Network (WASN), a non-governmental organisation in the capital Harare, the practice has always been wrong, but now it is "downright dangerous".

Fungai Nhara, who works with the Southern Africa AIDS Information Dissemination Service (SAfAIDS) here, said the 'wife inheritance' tradition creates a vicious circle and perpetuates the problem.

The issue of patient confidentiality may be doing more harm than good, Nhara added.

"Most of the time, the conclusion that the person has died of an HIV/AIDS-related illness is an assumption. It is not on the death certificate.

The wife may not even know, because no-one has come out and said it," Nhara explained.

Machekanyanga urged relatives to change their attitude in order to combat the pandemic. "Many people in our society do not accept that a person has died of a disease. Often the explanation is witchcraft," she said.

Nhara said another stumbling block is "the lack of a general political commitment" on dealing with HIV/AIDS. "We do not have a clear policy to tackle the pandemic."

Last week, Zimbabwe's vice-president Simon Muzenda admitted that "putting a cover around AIDS has been our biggest weakness."

The Zimbabwean government, following a recent high level visit to Uganda, appears more willing to openly talk about the pandemic.

"AIDS has woken up a lot of people to reality. People are more willing to discuss sex and other topics," said Machekanyanga, who sees legislation to stop the practice of wife inheritance as a "step in the right direction."

"It would be a step in the right direction, because we must include community leaders such as chiefs and church leaders to bring the message to the people," said Machekanyanga.

But for Diane Lindsey, of SAfAIDS, while legislation is elementary, the burden of tradition remains attached to the economic vulnerability of most women. On top of the tradition, the bottom line is that "most women don't have economic freedom of choice," she said. (END/IPS/mn/ak/98)

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