By Martha Leboho
It has been eight years of their love journey, like any other relationship they have had challenges and they are still going stronger.
They have had negative comments in the society as the community is still stunned with the 80years lovebirds.
The two grannies Hlupekile Chinjamba and Issac Chidoko have a mutual understanding and they both want to look for each other as they grow older.
They met at the Mucheke Old people’s home were they were being looked after since they both were loners and had no families.
They are a hardworking couple , their yard is well swept , and they also have a small land with maize at their yard.
With water challenges in Victoria Range you would bump into Chinjamba walking with the aide of a stick with a bucket of water coming from the borehole.
“Water has been a challenge for us, Chidoko has a mild stroke , i also broke my hand during the war so it becomes difficult for us to fetch water, i usually get assistance from individuals in road when i am coming from the borehole” said Chinjamba.
The society has been curious to know why these old grannies could marry, they have become the talk of the town in Victoria Range especially at the borehole.
Their dream is to own a house, where they can live whilst doing small projects for their upkeep.
“I hope we can get a donor to build us our own home where we can permanently stay that is my everyday wish
We cannot rely with well wishers forever and owning a home is our dream,” he said
Chidoko said their union was only for them to stay together and look after each other, they do not intend to have children.
“Our union is different from others we only intend to look after one another, at our age we do not expect to have children.
We used to be intimate and i usually loved the dog style position , but now she is too old to be intimate,
If i can get a single lady to get intimate i will inform her since she is now not capable to provide that” said Chidoko.
How they met
Hlupekile Chinjamba who got blind whilst working at Command centre in Harare and lost her job she had a twist of life that saw her staying at bus terminus. She had to survive as a scavenger if there are no well-wishers to give her food.
She had lost hope of getting her sight back since doctors had announced that the situation was permanent. As a devouted Mwazha Apostolic believer she inquired about her situation that’s when she was refered to go to Morgenster where she was attended and got her site back.
“The doctor who operated me is the one who referred me to Mucheke old people’s home after i had narrated to him that i was a loner,” she said.
Issac Chidoko has been staying in Gutu area where after he had a mild stroke. He tried to stay with his son in Chiredzi and he was ill-treated thats when he went to stay in Bikita old people’s home.
He said life was tough in there and he chose to move to Mucheke old people’s home.
“My story is a sad one, i feel terrible to talk about my children, i am living a difficult life whilst i have able children out there,” he said.
Chidoko said he realised that he had a mutual understanding with Chinjamba and he proposed to her and she agreed
“I realised that i wanted someone to look after me, i am not physically fit and i thought she can be there for me, i also will be there for her in times of need,” he said.
The two lovebirds decided to move out of the Old people’s home and start a new life. Life has been difficult as they could pay their rentals with the money they get after selling donated clothes from the home.
“We were referred to councilor Mrs Benegia Mudambiranwa who then offered us a place to stay where we are not paying rentals, she also initiated that we get food from Social Welfare” he said.
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