Marry Chiwenga  prosecution reveals a toxic cocktail of corruption, misogyny and abuse of office

Back in 2017, soon after the removal of Mugabe, Mnangagwa announced that the shortage of cash in the economy was due to externalisation of funds by certain companies and the new dispensation would investigate these companies and recover the funds.

They published a list of accused companies and their directors in 2018 and told them to return the monies or face the law.

It has been two years and we are still waiting for either the cash crisis to end if the monies have been repatriated or for trials of offenders to commence.

None of that has happened and clearly, large sums are still being externalised from the country.

So, back to the allegations against Marry Chiwenga.

The complainant, Vice President Chiwenga, claims Marry Chiwenga forged a marriage between the two. Had Marry Chiwenga printed and signed a fake marriage certificate, all on her own, we would think she is just a common criminal.

But Marry Chiwenga allegedly has in her possession, a marriage certificate awarded through all the proper channels and with all the necessary signatures. Why is she the only accused?

Marry Chiwenga, according to her husband, got a judge and court officials and the Judiciary Services Commission to solemnise a marriage between herself and a bedridden and allegedly unconsenting partner, and none of them is accused alongside her. Is that not targeted and selective use of the law?

Marry Chiwenga is also accused of attempting to murder the general while he was critically ill. It is said there are witnesses to this. Why did the witnesses not report this murder attempt when it occurred?

Are the South African authorities in possession of such a report? Why would the witnesses wait to report this crime to the victim and not the authorities? Had the victim actually died, would they have ever reported this crime?

This seems like either trumped-up charges or a murder attempt and cover-up gone wrong. If there was a cover-up, should Marry Chiwenga not be in jail with her accomplices?

By getting his wife thrown in jail, the vice president has exposed not only his corrupt nature, his influence over our institutions and abuse of power, he has also exposed the misogyny many would like to believe does not exist.

Many women in Zimbabwe find themselves destitute when relationships with their husbands and boyfriends turn sour. From revenge pornography which involves the publishing of a partners’ nude pictures and sex tapes, to banishing from homes to stripping them of their access to finance; women are exposed to all forms of abuse when relationships collapse.

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