Mary Mubaiwa, the ex-wife of Zimbabwean Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, has had her left leg amputated as her health continues to deteriorate. The procedure, which took place over a week ago, was necessitated by severe gangrene that left no other option. Mubaiwa had to undergo several counselling sessions to prepare her for the amputation.
Mubaiwa suffers from acute lymphoedema and spontaneous abscess formation, which have caused large, open wounds on her arms and legs. This latest amputation follows the removal of her right arm in September 2022 due to similar complications.
Her worsening health condition has been a subject of public concern, especially after the courts refused to release her passport, preventing her from seeking medical treatment abroad. She had surrendered her passport as part of her bail conditions for several charges, including attempted murder.
Currently admitted to a private hospital in the capital, Mubaiwa’s situation has drawn emotional responses from those close to her. Her lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, expressed her devastation, saying, “There is really nothing to say. It’s probably one of the most traumatic cases that I have ever dealt with. We hope that we can find closure one day on this.”
Mubaiwa’s mother, Helga, was unavailable for comment as she was attending church. Previously, Helga had spoken about her daughter’s ordeal, emphasizing that Mubaiwa was surviving through God’s grace during this extremely difficult time.
Mubaiwa’s health has been fragile for years, and her condition has often conflicted with the demands of the local courts. Despite clear signs of her illness, she has frequently been required to attend hearings, at times arriving in an ambulance. On one occasion, her trial was postponed when she began vomiting in the dock.
The former model faces multiple charges, including an allegation that she attempted to murder Chiwenga while he was hospitalized in South Africa in 2019. According to the charges, Mubaiwa allegedly forced Chiwenga’s security to leave his hospital room, attempted to remove his life support devices, and tried to take him out of the hospital before being stopped by staff. Chiwenga was subsequently flown to China for successful treatment.
In 2022, the High Court confirmed that Chiwenga had ended his marriage to Mubaiwa in 2019 by paying a traditional token of US$100, delivered by army commander Anselem Sanyatwe. Last year, Chiwenga married Colonel Miniyothabo Baloyi at the St Gerard Catholic Church in Borrowdale, Harare.
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