HARARE – Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Harare West Member of Parliament, Joanah Mamombe, has initiated a US$100 000 defamation lawsuit against fellow CCC legislator Bridget Nyandoro who represents the Southerton constituency.
Mamombe is seeking US$100,000 in damages, alleging that Nyandoro made several defamatory statements against her.
According to the High Court summons filed by Mamombe, Nyandoro is accused of falsely claiming that Mamombe engaged in an affair with former CCC leader Nelson Chamisa.
The lawsuit has also cited Nyandoro’s alleged assertions that Mamombe received favours, including from ruling party members, in exchange for sexual acts, as defamatory.
The summons further detailed a litany of other accusations allegedly made by Nyandoro in WhatsApp chats.
These include claims that Mamombe harbored hatred for Nyandoro, did not serve the interests of the public, illegally acquired wetlands, corruptly employed family members within the City of Harare, fabricated an abduction, stole land stands, committed rape, falsely presented herself as a human rights defender, engaged in a physical altercation with Wellington Chikombo, and forcibly entered his matrimonial home demanding to sleep between him and his wife.
Mamombe said that these allegations are damaging to her reputation, painting her as dishonest, hateful, corrupt, a liar, a thief of loose morals, and untrustworthy. She also asserts that Nyandoro’s accusation of hypocrisy is defamatory.
The court documents include a direct quote from Nyandoro’s alleged statements: “Sisi stop being a hypocrite I have a court case that you could help get justice served if you become a witness because you know the truth but I know I will be a big fool if I decide to make you one of my witnesses because it involves a Chamisa (his brother Starman) and you would not dare testify against a Chamisa because of your closeness to Nelson.”
Nyandoro is further quoted as saying, “You of all people do not have a moral standing to call other females to stand up and fight for the abuse of women and citizens.
“If in any case you are forced to come to the witness stand I bet my last breath you will testify against me the survivor of verbal, physical, economic abuse and rape just so as to remain Nelson’s darling.”
Additional statements attributed to Nyandoro in the summons include: “Was I not there for you when had you relationship fights with Wellington Chikombo after you forced yourself in his matrimonial home and demanded to sleep between him and his married wife.
“Were you not the one who told me that Nelson is stingy he only sleeps with you ukamuudza kuti unoda mari ye rent he will tell you kuti God will make a plan. I am lying kuti unonyepera kutuka Zanu maskati wopedza wezonovateera.”
Mamombe has given Nyandoro a 10-day period to respond to the summons. Failure to do so will result in the High Court proceeding with Mamombe’s claims without further input from Nyandoro.
