A coalition of women’s rights organisations has pleaded with Vice President Constantino Chiwenga to allow his estranged wife, Marry, to have access to the couple’s children.
Marry claims that she has been denied access to her children for over 17 months following her separation from the former military boss.
The women’s organisations include Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence, Female Prisoners Support Trust, Economic Justice for Women Project and Chitungwiza Residents Trust. The organisations said in a joint statement:
As women’s rights organisations, we are concerned and worried at the ongoing saga involving the Vice-President Dr CGN Chiwenga and his wife, Marry Chiwenga.
We note that private matters such as divorce should remain within the realm of private life. It is equally important that parties involved treat these issues as such. It would be worrisome if parties used their proximity to State institutions to push these to settle personal challenges with their spouses.
Further, we appeal to the Honourable Vice-President CGDN Chiwenga to allow Marry Chiwenga access to their children. As women, some of us being mothers, we understand the pain of being separated from our children, hence our call for the couple to find common ground where they can share in the growth of their kids.
The organisations also criticised the courts for denying the former model access to her passport so she could seek medical care abroad.
They said she should enjoy her presumption of innocence until the courts have proved otherwise.
Last month, Marry said she had appealed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene so that she could be able to see her children, but her efforts were futile.
Courts stalled her trial for charges, including attempting to kill Chiwenga, money laundering and assault, on the basis of her poor health.
She’s suffering from lymphoedema, a condition that causes her hands and legs to swell.
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