A 34-YEAR-OLD father of 10 has been advised to stop having more children as he has been neglecting the ones he already has.

Phibion Makiwa left the court gallery speechless after claiming that he could afford paying more than $1 000 for the two children he sired with Rudo Gwidibira as he has eight more children to look after.

Mutare magistrate, Mr Lazarus Murendo, presided over the matter.

He advised Makiwa to start using family planning methods if he can’t afford to provide for his children.

“There is no need for you to keep having children if you cannot afford to look after them. You already have 10 children, with most of them being looked after by their mothers. Yet you claim to be a father.

“You are very young and should be working hard to give these children a decent living, but all you care about is having more. You need to work hard and slow down on having children,” said Mr Murendo.

But Makiwa said his financial woes are a result of Gwidibira’s short temper.

“Your Worship, Rudo and l fight like any other couple but she is quick to make police reports, thereby getting me in trouble.

“The last time l appeared in court I was sentenced to perform community service and I ended up losing my job,” he said.

He also said Gwidibira is in the habit of selling his clothes to raise money for food.

Gwidibira confirmed selling Makiwa’s clothes to buy food for the family.

“I sell his clothes because I do not want to see my children starving. In fact, he should complement me for doing that,” she said.

While Gwidibira had applied for a monthly payment of $4 000 for the upkeep of her children, Mr Murendo ordered Makiwa to fork out $2 500 every month.

He also advised him to look after his other eight children.

Manica Post