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By Tafadzwa Muranganwa
A local play that premiered on Thursday at Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre details the complexity of girls’ and women’s abuse and how it has far-reaching consequences.
The 3-day play ‘Maimbodeyi’ was written and directed by Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi and ends this Saturday (today).
The production features a star-studded cast that includes Karen Muradzikwa, Sandra Mpofu, and Nesh Mphepo.
The story revolves around Maidei, a character that was interchangeably played by three females in the cast.
Maidei is a young girl who has been assigned to ‘accept her fate’ because she is a woman and is prone to abuse – a sad development that society views as natural.
In the other part, Maidei is forced into marriage as a way to appease the avenging spirit of her aunt’s abusive husband who was murdered by the aunt after unending torment.
After being forced into the marriage, she finds herself being ridiculed for being infertile and blame is apportioned on her for not conceiving.
The play also captures how religion which should serve as a safe haven for women is now blighted by sexual abuse from the clergymen.
In ‘Maimbodeyi’, ritualism which is leading to some men abusing their own daughters is revisited.
The heart-wrenching play ends with Maidei because of deep-seated anger for not being protected while her abusers are scot-free despite committing the heinous murder of 7 of her family members.
She is pregnant from the abuse but is incarcerated for her deed.
Speaking after the show, the writer Tafadzwa Bob Mutumbi said what inspired the play was how communities have become complicit in perpetrating abuse of girls and women.
“I wanted to just highlight the complicity of communities with regards to women abuse.
“Everyone is ‘dripping of blood’ owing to this complicity,” Mutumbi said.
Meanwhile, veteran playwright Jasen Mphepo revealed that they are also taking the play around schools to enlighten the young folks on women abuse.
“Today (Thursday’ we were at Heritage School showcasing this show and we have a number of schools that we are planning to work with to highlight this scourge,” he revealed.