Blessing Togarepi has opened up about the collapse of four marriages over the past six years, with his longest union reportedly lasting only two weeks.
His most recent marriage to Aisha Lulu Chihota ended before the couple could live together, despite Togarepi paying US$3,500 in lobola on June 6 in Mutare.
The matter was eventually taken before Chief Mutasa’s court, which ordered Aisha’s relatives to refund the lobola money by August 31.
Togarepi said the experience left him deeply distressed and at one point he contemplated suicide after feeling that he had lost his money and marriage.
His marital troubles began in 2020 when he married Anita Nyoni after paying US$9,200 in lobola. According to Togarepi, the marriage lasted only five days.
He later married Natasha Chamisa in 2021 after paying US$18,000 in lobola and holding a lavish wedding. The couple have a son, but their marriage reportedly broke down two weeks after the wedding.
Togarepi said Natasha eventually left, although he continues to see their son twice every two weeks.
His third marriage, to Providence Kufakwenyika, also ended after only five days. He said he had paid US$1,000 in lobola.
Speaking about his experiences, Togarepi attributed some of his struggles to growing up without parents.
“I grew up as an orphan and I was looked after by my relatives.
“That motivated me to work hard to be who I am today. I am now doing mining consultancy and the way I love to pray has helped me.
“I believe in doing the right things and I believe in marrying through the right channels.
“All these things happening in my life are making me lose my peace because I no longer understand who cursed me because marriage for me is not working.
“I have been in four marriages.”
Togarepi said his first marriage to Nyoni began after the two worked together in selling mining claims.
“I married Anita Nyoni as my first wife. I was working with her selling mining claims.
“I married her through all the right channels and, after we started staying together, we went for prayers in the evening.”
He alleged that problems began during a church service when Nyoni experienced what he described as a spiritual manifestation and later claimed to be a sangoma.
Togarepi said the marriage eventually fell apart after he returned from a mining trip and found that she had left.
Turning to his second marriage, he said:
“My second marriage, I married Natasha Chamisa, in 2021. I paid US$18,000 lobola, and we had a lavish wedding and she is the mother of my son.”
He claimed that problems also developed in that marriage after what he described as another spiritual manifestation.
Togarepi said his third marriage also ended quickly, adding that he was particularly troubled by the repeated breakdown of his relationships.
“What surprises me, when all these women leave, they don’t take money, and they leave the money.”
On his most recent marriage to Chihota, Togarepi said he paid lobola but was not immediately allowed to take his wife to their home.
“After I paid my lobola, they refused to give me the wife, and promised that I would get the wife after three weekends.
“I then approached my sister Rosemary Togarepi and Nickson Matanda to accompany me to her relatives.
“We were chased away from the house.”
Togarepi alleged that another spiritual incident occurred on the same day, which he said left him frightened.
He said he turned to prayer and did not have sexual relations with Chihota because he wanted to follow what he considered proper marriage protocols.
“I didn’t sleep with her, as I wanted to respect the protocols, believing that no sex before marriage.”
