The late former President Robert Mugabe’s niece, Zalerah Hazvineyi Makari (nee Tendayi), who tied the knot with Samson Tichatonga Makari in August 2010, has approached the High Court hoping to nullify the couple’s union.

BY CHARLES LAITON

Zalerah is also former Epworth legislator, representing Zanu PF in the august House.

In her summons filed in December last year, the former MP said all efforts by her relatives to save the couple’s marriage had failed and that their affection for one another had also hit rock bottom.

According to court papers, she said the couple’s marriage had irretrievably broken down to the extent that they have not been staying together for the past two years.

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“Plaintiff (Zalerah) and defendant (Samson) were married to each other in terms of the Marriage Act Chapter 5:11 at the Catholic Cathedral in Harare on August 21, 2010 and the marriage still subsist. One child has been born of the marriage,” she said.

“The plaintiff avers that the marriage between the parties has irretrievably broken down to such an extent that the parties can no longer live together as husband and wife and there are no prospects for the continuation of a normal relationship in that the plaintiff and defendant have been emotionally separated for two years and were not sharing a bedroom during that time.”

Zalerah further said Samson had already initiated and completed customary procedures for ending the marriage and had also moved out of the couple’s matrimonial home.

“The defendant moved out of the matrimonial home in March 2019. The defendant initiated and completed the customary procedures for ending the marriage by paying gupuro (divorce token), the customary token to end the marriage and the plaintiff’s family accepted the token,” she said.

Zalerah also said the couple had already executed a Deed of Settlement to regulate their issues pending the nullification of their marriage by consent.

“The parties no longer have any love and affection for each other and on March 22, 2019, they both executed a Deed of Settlement to regulate their issues pending a divorce by consent. All attempts by plaintiff and her relatives to reconcile the parties have been futile. It is anticipated that this divorce will be by consent as already agreed in the Deed of Settlement,” she said.

“In the event that this honourable court grants a decree of divorce, it is in the best interest of the minor child born of the marriage that custody be awarded to the plaintiff, who has already been living with the child in the matrimonial residence, which is the minor child’s familiar residence.”
The matter is still pending.