Zimbabwean Man Loses US$31,700 in Lobola After Four Marriages Collapse Within Six Years
Zimbabwean Man Loses US$31,700 in Lobola After Four Marriages Collapse Within Six Years – A Zimbabwean mining consultant, Blessing Togarepi, says he has spent a total of US$31,700 in lobola over the past six years, but all four of his marriages ended in separation, with one reportedly collapsing before he even spent a single night with his bride.
Togarepi’s longest marriage lasted just 14 days, while two others reportedly ended after only five days. His latest marriage is said to have broken down on the very day he paid lobola.
His first marriage was to Anita Nyoni in 2020 after he paid US$9,200 in lobola. Togarepi alleges the marriage lasted less than a week after his wife began manifesting during a church service and later declared she was a traditional healer. He claims she left their matrimonial home, while her family accused him of trying to harm her.
In 2021, he married Natasha Chamisa after paying US$18,000 in lobola and holding what he described as a lavish wedding. Although it became his longest marriage, it lasted only 14 days. The couple have a son together, whom Togarepi says he now sees twice every fortnight. He claims the relationship deteriorated after an incident on their way to church before Natasha later left without explanation.
His third marriage, to Providence Kufakwenyika, also ended after just five days despite him paying US$1,000 in lobola.
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Hoping for a fresh start, Togarepi married Aisha Lulu Chihota in Mutare on June 6 after paying US$3,500 in lobola. He alleges that shortly after the ceremony, Aisha’s relatives informed him that she had fallen ill and asked him to wait before taking her to their matrimonial home.
According to Togarepi, she never came to live with him, and he never spent a single night with his bride.
The dispute was later taken to Chief Mutasa’s traditional court, which reportedly ordered Aisha’s family to refund the lobola money by August 31.
Reflecting on the repeated breakdown of his marriages, Togarepi said he had always followed both traditional and religious customs by paying lobola, involving both families and respecting cultural protocols.
He further claimed that the collapse of his latest marriage left him emotionally devastated and contemplating suicide.
Togarepi also alleged that during efforts to resolve the dispute over his fourth marriage, a woman manifested and spoke through what he believes was an evil spirit, warning that his marriages would continue to fail. These claims have not been independently verified.
The former wives and their families were not represented in the interview, and their responses to the allegations were not available at the time of publication.
