By Professor Matodzi
HARARE- Jocelyn Mauchaza Chiwenga, the vociferous and estranged wife of the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF), General Constantine Chiwenga, is demanding $40 million from the new spouse of the country’s army boss as damages for allegedly offending her feelings and cohabitating with her partner.
The army chief married Mary Mubaiwa, a former supermodel and ex-wife of former Zimbabwe soccer international player, Shingirai Kawondera, late last year after his marriage to the combative businesswoman ended dissonantly.
Court papers filed by Jocelyn and perused through by Radio VOP, show that Jocelyn is bitter at losing her husband to Mary. Jocelyn, who married Chiwenga in 1998, says by marrying the army chief during the subsistence of her marriage, Mary had greatly disrespected and hurt her.
“Defendant (Mary) has in full knowledge of plaintiff (Jocelyn)’s marriage to Constantine Guveya Chiwenga commenced cohabitating with Constantine Guveya Chiwenga and entered into an adulterous relationship with him,” reads part of Jocelyn’s summons and declaration filed in the high court recently.
The controversial businesswoman claims that by virtue of the actions of Mary, she has suffered damages by way of the deliberate offensive act inflicted upon her by the former model and for the loss of consortium sustained by reason of the loss of comfort society in assistance of her spouse.
Jocelyn says the damages inflicted on her by Mary were further goaded by the conduct of the ex-supermodel. “The gross impudence and insult to the plaintiff caused by the public and open conduct of the defendant in purporting to have married Constantine Guveya Chiwenga having aggravated the damages sustained by plaintiff,” reads part of Jocelyn’s court papers.
Out of the $40 million that Jocelyn is demanding, $20 million is for contumelia inflicted upon her by Mary while the other $20 million is for loss of consortium. Jocelyn maintains that her marriage to Chiwenga is still valid because the pair never terminated their marriage.
Last year, Jocelyn, a controversial figure who once threatened to attack MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai at a Harare mall, accused Chiwenga of committing bigamy after the army chief reportedly married Mubaiwa and accused him of not advising her. Women pressure groups have already condemned Chiwenga for allegedly ill treating Jocelyn. Radio VOP
