VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has been dragged to court by
his estranged wife, Tambudzani, who is demanding $13 394 per month in spousal
maintenance.
The two political heavyweights are already embroiled in a
nasty divorce case and allegations of adultery which are still before the
courts.
Through her lawyers, Messrs Scanlen and Holderness,
Tambudzani, who is also Beitbridge Senator, filed a court application on Monday
this week and the matter is yet to be set down for hearing.
In her founding affidavit, she said she was still married
to the Vice-President in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11, which still
subsists, and she is the only surviving spouse despite a pending divorce case
at the High Court.
Tambudzani said while she was staying together with Mohadi
before their marriage hit hard times, the couple purchased various businesses
which were now under the VP’s control and she was now surviving on a minimal
allowance from her position as a senator.
“The respondent (Mohadi) is the Vice-President of Zimbabwe
and a businessman who directly controls the parties’ joint estate. The joint
estate includes private companies, trusts, ventures and farms. Furthermore, as
the VP, the respondent is entitled to various spousal benefits, which the
applicant is currently not enjoying despite being the only surviving spouse of
the respondent,” Tambudzani said.
“The spousal benefits include transport allowances, fuel
allowances, driver and security detail. The applicant (Tambudzani) and the
respondent have always maintained a relatively high standard of living due to
their high earning capacity. The parties have always maintained two homes with
domestic servants, gardeners and security details in Harare and Beitbridge.”
Tambudzani said it was just and equitable for her to be
awarded the sum of $13 394 per month as maintenance, which would enable her to
enjoy and maintain a standard of living reasonably comparable to the standard
of living she used to enjoy while living with Mohadi.
“Although the applicant has filed a plea and counterclaim
(in the divorce matter), the further particulars are yet to be received and
applicant is yet to replicate the pleadings. Consequently, the pleadings have
not yet closed,” she said.
“It is just and equitable and in the interest of justice
that the respondent pays maintenance pendent lite and contribute towards the
applicant’s legal costs to enable the applicant to prosecute the pending
divorce proceedings.”
Last month, Tambudzani petitioned the High Court seeking
$1,5 million adultery damages from Mohadi’s alleged current girlfriend, Juliet
Mutavhatsindi, arguing she was still the VP’s legal spouse.
According to the court papers in the divorce matter, Mohadi
said he married Tambudzani sometime in 1981 and during the said period, they
lived together before separating in 1999.
In a separate, but related matter early last month, Mohadi
was granted a protection order by a Harare magistrate, barring Tambudzani from
issuing threatening messages and influencing the couple’s children to turn
against him.
In terms of the court order, Tambudzani was also barred,
together with her children, from selling the couple’s matrimonial property
before finalisation of the pending divorce matter. Newsday
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