In a highly unusual domestic dispute that has stunned the Harare Civil Court, a Warren Park woman with three husbands has dragged one of them to court, accusing him of failing to provide for the family and contributing to household chaos.

Ms Sekai Makanya appeared before Magistrate Johanna Mukwesha on Monday, seeking legal recourse against Mr Tapera Mapfumo, whom she accused of financial neglect, verbal abuse, and public humiliation.

“My husband is failing to provide as a man, and when I ask him, he then becomes violent,” Ms Makanya told the court. “We have one child together, and he does not even pay school fees. He expects me to do his duties.”

Makanya said her polyandrous family structure had been openly accepted by all parties, including Mr Mapfumo, who fathered one of her children. She insisted that his refusal to take responsibility was unfair and disruptive to the household’s stability.

“He agreed to this marriage. I cannot ask my other husbands to take care of his child while he is alive,” she told the court. “Instead, he insults me and even follows me to work to embarrass me, telling people I’m a thief.”

She further alleged that Mr Mapfumo had publicly claimed missing goods from her workplace were at his home, tarnishing her reputation.

In a fiery response, Mr Mapfumo dismissed the accusations as “exaggerated” and painted himself as a victim of Makanya’s “abusive and humiliating” conduct.

“She assaulted me in public, called me useless and irresponsible,” he said. “I’m treated like a servant in that house. One day she threw my belongings out — things I bought myself!”

Mapfumo claimed that he does his part in taking care of his child and accused Makanya of trying to force him into financial submission, despite her having two other husbands.

“Makanya likes men too much,” he said bluntly in court. “She cannot expect me to provide for everything alone.”

Despite the bitter exchange, Mapfumo said he was open to resolving the matter through counselling, though he stood firm in denying the abuse allegations.

The court is expected to issue a ruling on the matter later this week.

The case has sparked a storm of public interest, particularly over the rarely publicised phenomenon of polyandry in Zimbabwe, raising complex questions about family law, gender roles, and the evolving nature of modern relationships.