Marry Chiwenga remanded in custody pending dubious ‘mental exam’
It never rains but pours for Marry Mubaiwa, the estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, after she was remanded in custody by Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube pending a dubious examination of her mental state by government doctors.
Even though Mubaiwa’s health is deteriorating the state led by Prosecutor Michael Reza, urged the court to send her to jail so that she can be medically monitored.
Mubaiwa has appealed to the United Nations (UN) to intervene in her messy divorce with her husband and force him to allow her access to their children.
Mubaiwa has been barred from seeing her children in 2019 after her arrest over charges of attempting to kill the VP, money laundering, and assault. She denies all the charges and she is out of custody on bail.
In a statement on Monday, Mubaiwa expressed worry that she has not seen her children for almost two years now.
“Today (Monday) being the 15th day of November brings me so much heartache and pain as it is my son’s birthday who has turned nine,” she said.
“I have been denied total access to them. I have been cut out of their lives completely. For more than two years l haven’t existed. My husband has used his political muscle.”
She also pleaded with women groups in Zimbabwe and First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa to stand with her.
“Is there hope for women in this country? Is there equal representation? Is there gender equality? I am being punished for crimes that do not exist in my lifetime.
“Punish me once you have all your eggs in one basket. You say you want to make me an example that women are subjects and should never be allowed to lead in any fora. How can you shut me out of my children’s lives like I never existed? What do you tell them?
“I have been to hell and back, I am broken by all of this. I am not saying I want you back. No! I am saying give me my children. I thought that one day Amai (Auxillia Mnangagwa) would rise up and fight in my corner, guilty or not, to rise up against verbal abuse, emotional abuse, and dictatorship,” she said.
Mubaiwa again noted that Mnangagwa fails to assist her because he is afraid of his deputy, Chiwenga.
“There lies a man (Chiwenga) who once held the Constitution in his hands, declaring war against oppression and dictatorship. A man that is feared by all including his boss (Mnangagwa).
“Countless times he has said that he is above everyone and he is the one that determines the direction which the wind must blow. Women are set on women to destroy one another. My husband has been allowed the platform to do whatever the hell he pleases, and has not been reprimanded for this cowardly act.
“I am begging all women in this universe to please help me to access my children. I am dying inside, I am empty, two years is not a joke without having a sight of my children. My children are below 10. Remember today it’s me, tomorrow it’s you.’
“The likes of mamwe madzimai (other women) that speak negatively about me, stay away from my issues,” she said.
Mubaiwa called on the United Nations Children’s Fund, a United Nations (UNICEF), United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to assist her.
“I am asking for your help to get access to my children and feel. I have asked the President many times to assist but nothing has materialised. This is no longer a private or family issue, but a public one as we must also ask UNICEF, UN, UNHCR to intervene as I am powerless.
“I really miss my children and I am broken,” she said.
Mubaiwa is also suffering severe lymphoedema and spontaneous formation of abscesses whose origins have not been determined, and she can only get treatment outside the country.
But the Clerk of Court grabbed her passport as part of bail conditions. She tried several times to get it to go to South Africa and failed because the court considered her a flight risk. Nehanda Radio
