WATCH: Temba Mliswa weighs in on Marry Chiwenga case – “judiciary sending wrong signal worldwide”
Norton legislator Temba Mliswa says the way Zimbabwean courts are handling the marriage dispute between Acting President Constantino Chiwenga and his estranged wife Marry Mubaiwa “is certainly sending a wrong signal worldwide.”
Mubaiwa was barred by the High Court from having access to the couple’s three minor children two years ago, as the couple is going through a messy divorce while being embroiled in several bitter legal battles which are yet to be settled.
She is also facing, charges of attempting to murder her husband, fraud, and money laundering. She is out of custody on bail after her arrest in 2019.
Mubaiwa is suffering from severe lymphoedema and spontaneous formation of abscesses whose origins have not been determined. She was barred from traveling out of the country to seek appropriate treatment after the court grabbed her passport as part of bail conditions.
In an interview with Lance Guma on Nehanda TV on Thursday evening, Mliswa slammed, as unacceptable, the treatment of the former model by the courts.
“I will keep speaking about this and I will not stop talking about this and it has nothing to do with me interfering with the marriage. It has me being a legislator asking for the rights of the children having access to both parents withstanding what is going on.
“Every child has a right to have access to their parents. There is no way. The judiciary is certainly sending a wrong signal worldwide,” the outspoken independent legislator said.
“If they think that by so doing varikufadza vakuru, they are killing the system. Justice is the last resort and it happens through the judiciary. Whoever thinks that they’re doing anybody a favour, they are destroying the very same pillar of government of ensuring there is justice in this country.”
Recently, Mubaiwa said she tried to seek help from President Emmerson Mnangagwa but he said “his subordinate does not take instructions from him,” Mubaiwa said and asked “who is the boss now???”
But Mliswa, in this case, defended Mnangagwa saying the Zanu PF leader could not interfere with his deputy’s domestic issues, adding that the matter is before the courts.
“You see, it’s a difficult one because it’s a domestic situation. The matter is before the courts. To me the courts must be able, we must have the court order. If he is in contempt, then the right methods must be used,” he said.
The State on Tuesday closed its case against Mubaiwa and her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa is set to file for her client’s discharge.
The State exhausted evidence against the former model after calling 12 witnesses including the former Army General.
Among other cases, Chiwenga accuses Mubaiwa of trying to upgrade their customary marriage by forging his signature without his knowledge while he was sick in South Africa sometime in 2019, charges she denies. Nehanda Radio
