BY CHARLES LAITON
Vice-president Constantino Chiwenga’s estranged wife, Marry (pictured), has accused her husband of abusing his position by using the military in the couple’s ongoing personal differences which have resulted in the application for divorce now pending before the courts.
Marry made the remarks in her urgent chamber application in which she is seeking an order to be allowed access to her Borrowdale home, the return of her three minor children as well as her business property that was seized by the military at the instigation of her husband.
The VP’s wife is facing several criminal allegations which saw her spend the festive season behind bars.
When the High Court released her on bail on January 6, she was ordered to reside at her matrimonial home, but military members of the Presidential Guard have denied her access to the home.
“It seems, the respondent [Chiwenga] is using his position to suborn the armed forces of Zimbabwe and to grab properties and act with impunity to the clear detriment of the applicant [Marry],” she said in her founding affidavit.
“In fact, in the matrimonial proceedings, the respondent is seeking my eviction from 614 Nick Price Drive, Borrowdale Brook, Borrowdale, Harare, meaning that he is aware that I stay at the property and that unless the court had directed otherwise, that is my home.”
In her chronological order of events, Marry said while she was in prison, she sent her mother to collect her personal items that she needed to use from the matrimonial home, but she was denied access by one Lt Colonel Muradzi together with one Lt Colonel Mangezi.
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“These are the people who would go through my very personal items, including panties, bras and sanitary pads, and then choose the ones to give my mother for my personal use. Of course, this was intended to degrade me and one wonders what sort of man would go to those lengths to humiliate a woman… I genuinely thought, that given his [Chiwenga] status, the respondent would not adopt cowboy antics in seeking to achieve whatever remedies he wants…,” she said.
Mary further said on January 8, 2020, she proceeded to Orchid Gardens, a business premises that she owns, and found members of the Presidential Guard who informed her that Lt Colonel Mangezi had directed that she should not be allowed access into the premises.
“…the presence of the members of the armed forces at the premises speaks volumes of the extent of abuse of public authority by the respondent… that the respondent is the vice-president does not mean that he is immune from the law, or that he is entitled to act as he pleases…,” she said.
Marry further said once Chiwenga envisaged an intention to leave her, he did not return to the matrimonial home after his return from China, adding she was not even aware of where he was residing nor was she allowed to see him.
She said the only time she heard from him was when she had a brief meeting with Major General Anselem Sanyatwe who informed her that Chiwenga “had sent him to tell her that he wanted to terminate their marriage and threatened that he would use the full arsenal available to him to deal with her”.
“I also have the right not to be subjected to extra-judicial conduct and to be protected by the law. All these rights are in serious jeopardy directly as a result of the conduct of the respondent,” she said.
In her application Marry says she is seeking an order to forthwith be allowed access to her matrimonial home, access to the use of her personal vehicles namely, Toyota Lexus, Mercedes Benz S400, Mercedes Benz E350 (silver), Range Rover Autobiography, Mercedes Benz E350 (black) and Mercedes Benz, access to her clothing, personal goods and effects and the return of her two safes containing her personal items taken out of the matrimonial home by the military.
She also says she is seeking another order directing Chiwenga to return her minor children and the return of all the furniture, goods and effects removed from Orchid Gardens by the military.
