Marry Chiwenga

Background

Marry Mubaiwa was born in 1981. She is the daughter of Kenny Mubaiwa, who is the former Chairman of Dynamos Football Club.^[1] She is a mother of 6 children.
She went to Oriel Girls High School.

Children

Marry Mubaiwa and Constantino Chiwenga have three children together, two boys and a girl. The children are; Tendai, Christian and Michael.^[2]

Mubaiwa also has two other children – a daughter from an earlier relationship with businessman Terry Mandizha and another daughter with former footballer husband Shingi Kaondera.^[3]

Marriage

In 2011, Marry was customarily married to Constantine Chiwenga amid revelations that the two had been staying together since Constantino left his matrimonial home, in April 2010.

It was reported that he paid US$47 000 as the bride price (lobola) to the Mubaiwa family .On 15, November 2012, the couple had a baby boy. ^[4]

In July 2019, she was sued by former husband Kaondera sued Marry Chiwenga for US $700,000 over what he said was a fraudulent divorce process. Kaondera claimed that Chiwenga had forged divorce papers that had dissolved their marriage in 2010. ^[5]

Divorce From Constantino Chiwenga

High Court judge Justice Owen Tagu ruled Marry Mubaiwa’s marriage to Constantino Chiwenga was over because he legally divorced her.

He ruled that Chiwenga legally divorced her when he sent retired Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe to give her US$100 as a divorce token, also known as gupuro in Shona.

The High Court ruling came after Mubaiwa challenged Chiwenga’s divorce petition, filed in December 2019. In her response, Marry insisted that their customary marriage still subsisted because Chiwenga failed to follow cultural protocol to enable him to terminate the marriage.

She further argued that she never got gupuro because of this failure to follow protocol. She, however, conceded that Chiwenga sent retired Lieutenant General Anselem Sanyatwe to give her US$100 as a divorce token. She further argued that she refused to accept the Gupuro because it was in United States dollars and not local currency.

Following Marry’s insistence, Chiwenga made an application in November 2021 pleading with the court to issue an order declaring the customary union marriage to have been terminated.

The High Court judge dismissed Marry Mubaiwa's claims that she had not received Gupuro. Justice Tagu ruled that the marriage was terminated when Chiweng sent General Sanyatwe with the divorce token on November 24, 2019.^[6]

Health Problems

In May 2018, Marry's husband Constantino revealed that the both of them were suffering from a skin disease called Nhuta which had resulted in the discolouration of their skins.^[7] Former government minister Jonathan Moyo commented that it was "just incredulous that Chiwenga and Mary contracted nhuta at the same time!”^[8]. There was general speculation with most people saying that Marry and her husband had used skin bleaching creams.

In October 2019, a photo of Marry Chiwenga opening a plant in Borrowdale showed she had a swollen hand with some wounds on it. There was no official comment on the cause.

Marry Chiwenga with swollen hand

For a complete history of Marry Chiwenga's health problems see: Marry Mubaiwa Health Problems, Pictures

Collapsing in Court

Marry Mubaiwa collapsed and crashed her head against the stairs as she left the Harare Magistrates Court on Wednesday 15 December 2021. Marry apparently struggled to negotiate the flight of stairs at the court entrance, tumbled and fell headlong.

She wailed as she fell down drawing the attention of people who were close to the entrance.

Mubaiwa had gone to court for the continuation of her trial in a case she was being accused of using forged documents in a bid to upgrade her marriage to Chiwenga.

Constantino Chiwenga was supposed to testify at the trial but failed to do so after the state applied for the testimony to be held in camera.^[9]

Patron of the Miss Zimbabwe Trust

In 2012, Marry became the patron of the Miss Zimbabwe Trust taking over from Kiki Divaris. She was poised to revive the Miss Zimbabwe pageant. The 2014 edition of the Miss Zimbabwe Pageant proved Marry's competence as it was reportedly full of glitz and glamour.

Notwithstanding this, in 2014, 3 beauty queens, Thabiso Phiri, Catherine Makaya and Tendai Hunda were crowned as the titleholders. This was followed by a barrage of criticism levelled against Marry. Cathrine Makaya cited that Marry was very adamant hence she was unable to work with her. Tendai Hunda who went on to represent the country for the 2014 edition of the Miss World was unable to keep up the pace with others as she arrived late in London all because of the trust's incompetency. Speculations are rife that the trust is now politicised.

In February 2018 Marry stepped down from her position after running the pageant for six years. Marry said that the beauty contest would now be run by a nine-member executive committee. She said although she remained the pageant’s license holder, she had entrusted the executive committee to handle the pageant’s affairs.^[10]

Marry Chiwenga Photos

Philanthropic Work

She is the Chairman of the Musha Mukadzi Zimbabwe Armed Forces Foundation (MZAFF), a non – profit organization that provides programs that help families of the armed forces of Zimbabwe wives and widows and children of either serving or retired soldiers as well as war veterans. MM-ZAFF is a brainchild of the Commander of Defence Forces, General C.G Chiwenga and has the former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s support as the National Patron, Mrs. Marry Mubaiwa Chiwenga is the National Chairperson.

The Trust has helped the likes of Shingirayi Bushu who however succumbed to cancer in December 2014.^[11] The MZAFF also donated groceries and clothes as well as blankets to a woman from Highfield who had 25  kg of cyst removed from her belly at Chitungwiza General Hospital in July 2014. The trust also donated US$3 500 to a war veteran, who lost his sight during the Second Chimurenga. ^[12]

Appointment to SEZ Board

In June 2017, Marry was appointed to an 11-member Special Economic Zones (SEZs) board, which is chaired by former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono. ^[13]

As Second Lady

Resignation from Miss Zimbabwe Trust Board

In February 2018, Mrs. Chiwenga resigned from The Miss Zimbabwe Trust Board as the chairperson. She had held the position for 6 years. Marry Chiwenga reportedly indicated that she has confidence in the board members of the Trust.

I have surrendered a huge responsibility to the nine-member Miss Zimbabwe Trust executive committee to run the country’s flagship pageant, Miss World Zimbabwe, which also comes with a huge responsibility of also flying the country’s flag high. As I step down, I feel like a good loser who has lost something to a hard-working executive committee, which will work harder than me. I wish them all the best as they commence this year’s pageant without me on board. It is the same script, but different cast.^[14]

Alleged Mockery of Grace Mugabe

Marry Chiwenga was reported to have mocked former First Lady as she presented donations to Magamba Hall in Warren Park, Harare, Chiwenga reportedly said.

Amai Mnangagwa, a mother who has dignity, a mother who respects her family. Ever since she was called the first lady she has never used harsh words against anyone, I have never heard her shouting ‘STOP IT’ to anyone.

Grabbing Arda farm

It was alleged that Mary Chiwenga grabbed the 300-hectare Arda Seeds farm along the Domboshava Road. ^[15]

Marry is alleged to have grabbed the farm belonging to the Agriculture Rural Development Authority (Arda). Marry is reported to have claimed that she wanted to build a school at the location after failing to get the property in 2013.

Victim Of the White City Stadium Explosion in Bulawayo in June 2018

Marry Chiwenga visited by Mnangagwa in hospital after an explosion at a rally on 23 June 2018

In June 2018, Marry Chiwenga was hospitalised after being wounded in an explosion that occurred during a Zanu-PF elections campaign rally at White City Stadium in Bulawayo. The explosion was reportedly an attempt on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's life.

2019 Divorce Reports

In 2019 it was reported that The Vice President Constantine Chiwenga was filing for divorce. ^[16]. The divorce was reportedly caused by a number of reasons chief among them Marry's conduct when the General was sick. Marry reportedly tried to get the VP to write a will which would benefit her in case of his death.

Arrest By ZACC

On saturday 14 December Marry Chiwenga was arrested and detained at Rhodesville Police Station ^[17] her charges included:

• Attempted murder. Marry reportedly pulled an intravenous drip out of his arm when he was in hospital in South Africa. ^[18]
• Money Laundering and Fraud of over Us$1 million ^[19]
• Forgery - The VP's wife reportedly predijuced Judge President George Mutandwa Chiweshe that herself and the VP had consented to wed under the Marriage Act, Chapter 5:11 under the marriage licence on the 2nd of July 2019 at their place of residence at number 614 Nick Price Drive, Borrowdale Brooke, Harare. Marry then submitted copies of national identity documents of herself and the VP to Judge President George Mutandwa Chiweshe without the knowledge and consent of the complainant.^[20]
• Marry Chiwenga was also being investigated on fresh charges over Musha Mukadzi funds, the daily allowances of her security aides and the Miss Zimbabwe cars during the time of her arrest. ^[21]

Fraud Conviction

On 13 April 2022, Marry Mubaiwa was found guilty of violating the Marriages Act after she lied that her former husband, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, agreed to formalise their union while he was hospitalised in India.

Harare Magistrate Lazini Ncube convicted Mubaiwa of the offence, saying evidence from witnesses proved that she lied about Chiwenga’s consent to legalise their marriage.^[22]

10 Day Imprisonment

On 26 November 2021, Marry Mubaiwa was remanded in custody by Harare magistrate Lazini Ncube pending mental examination by state doctors.

Mubaiwa's imprisonment came after a successful application by the state led by Prosecutor Michael Reza, who urged the court to send her to jail so that she can be medically monitored.^[23]

On 22 November 2021, the High Court ordered Marry Mubaiwa's release. Justices Benjamin Chikowero and Pisirayi Kwenda said Mubaiwa's detention was completely unjustified that she was detained when she was already out on bail and ordered her release from custody.^[24]

Arriving at Court in an Ambulance

Magistrate Nduna issued a warrant of arrest to Mary Mubaiwa-Chiwenga after she failed to attend court on 30 November 2020. Hours after a warrant of arrest was issued against her an ambulance believed to be carrying her arrived at the Harare Magistrates’ Court. Her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa had told the court that she could not attend court because she was not feeling well.

Ambulance believed to be carrying Marry Mubaiwa at Harare Magistrates' Court on 20 November 2020

Trivia

̇Marry Chiwenga was born in a Salvation Army Church and later changed to the Roman Catholic Church which her husband attends. Marry Chiwenga listens to music by James Chimombe, Alick Macheso, Marshal Munhumumwe and Jah Prayzah.

References