Mohadi’s wife demands $13 000 maintenance

By Tendai Kamhungira

Vice President Kembo Mohadi has once again been dragged to the High Court by his estranged wife Tambudzani Mohadi (nee Muleya), who is demanding over $13 000 in maintenance every month, pending the finalisation of their divorce case.

Muleya is also demanding a further $20 000 from the politician for legal fees.

The divorce proceedings between the two started in September last year, when Mohadi, who was then State Security minister, petitioned the High Court in Bulawayo seeking nullification of the couple’s divorce, claiming their marriage had irretrievably broken down.

But in August this year, Mohadi applied for the divorce matter to be transferred to THE Harare High Court where determination is still pending.

Since then, the two have been in and out of court, with different applications and at one point, Mohadi approached the Civil Court seeking a protection order which was granted in his favour.

In return, Tambudzani also sued Mohadi’s mistress Juliet Mutavhatsindi for $1,5 million in adultery damages and the matter is still pending before the High Court.

In the current application filed on Monday, Tambudzani told the court that the two are married in terms of the Marriage Act Chapter 5:11, which marriage she said still subsists.

“The applicant (Muleya) is a businesswoman and a senator in the Parliament of Zimbabwe. The income from the businesses is controlled by the respondent (Mohadi).

“Her only current income is from a minimal allowance she receives from her position as a senator.

“The respondent is the vice president of Zimbabwe and a businessman, who directly controls the parties’ joint estate. The joint estate includes private companies, trusts, ventures and farms.

“Furthermore, as a vice president, the respondent is entitled to various spousal benefits which the applicant is currently not enjoying despite being the only spouse of the respondent. The spousal benefits include transport allowances, fuel allowances, driver and security detail,” she said.

She told the court that they had maintained a relatively high standard of living due to their high earning capacity and have always maintained two homes with domestic servants, gardeners and security details in Harare and Beitbridge.

“It is just and equitable for the applicant to be awarded the sum of $13 394, which figure will enable the applicant to enjoy and maintain a standard of living reasonably comparable to the standard of living that the applicant enjoyed when she lived with the respondent. The amount is within the respondent’s means,” she said.

She further demanded $20 000 from Mohadi in legal fees, claiming this amount has to be paid to ensure there is equality during the trial of the case.

“It is just and equitable and in the interest of justice that the respondent pays maintenance pendent lite and contributes towards the applicant’s legal costs to enable the applicant to prosecute the pending divorce proceedings,” the court was told.

The amount Tambudzani demanded is constituted as follows: driver $900, gardeners for two homes $700, domestic workers for two homes $620, fuel $600, security $1 000, groceries $1 000, airtime $500, DSTV $100, Wifi $100, clothes $430, perfumes, deodorants, hair care, nails and facials $300, dog feed $300, water rates and refuse collection $1 000, electricity $860, car maintenance $3 000, wages for workers at Njinini homestead $150 and $1 834 for two international church trips.

Mohadi is still to respond to this application. Daily News