News / National
MP marries 2 women under Chapter 5, faces bigamy charges
19 Aug 2013 at 00:19hrs | Views
Highfield West National Assembly member elect Mr Moses Manyengawana (MDC-T) might face bigamy charges after it emerged yesterday that he is married to two women under the Marriage Act Chapter 5:11.
According to the Marriages Act, any person who appears before a marriage officer twice under the Marriages Act 5: 11 without legally cancelling the first marriage would have committed bigamy, which is a chargeable offence.
Manyengawana was elected national assembly member for Highfield West constituency during the July 31 harmonised elections after beating Zanu-PF's Emanuel Juta.
It emerged yesterday that Manyengawana wedded Fisane Sibanda (ID number 29-179297 B 29) on April 20 2003 at St Killian Mission in Rusape under Marriage Act Chapter 5: 11.
The marriage was solemnised by Father Vitalis Benza of the Roman Catholic.
Without cancelling the first marriage as required by the law, Manyengawana misrepresented to a Pastor Kanyati of the Christ Alive Gospel Ministries that he was a divorcee and proceeded to wed Yvonne Nyakupinda in 2010.
Yvonne is believed to be a nurse at a local hospital.
The marriage took place at Ambassador Hotel on October 30, 2010 and witnessed by another member of the MDC-T Wesbter Maondera who was recently elected to represent Glen Norah in the national house of assembly. The Herald is in possession of the two marriage certificates, all of them still valid
Fisane, who is the first wife and a teacher at Shiriyedenga Primary School in Glen Norah, last Friday confirmed being married to Manyengawana.
"Akutii yakakanzurwa? I am not aware that the marriage certificate was cancelled," she said
The couple reportedly sired three children.
Fisane pleaded with this reporter not to publish the story.
"Mukwasha munoda kuti marriage certificate yangu iende pamberi penyika yese here. Musandidaro ndinodzingwa basa. Ivaiwo munhu anemwoyo titaurirane," she said.
In an interview at Herald House last Friday, Mr Manyengawana claimed his marriage with Fisane had been cancelled but he failed to produce evidence that the marriage certificate had been invalidated.
Before coming for the interview, Mr Manyengawana had promised to bring proof of the cancellation of the first marriage but failed. He later claimed to have been issued out with a fake marriage certificate in the first place.
"It is when I filed for divorce that I discovered that this marriage certificate was fake. The marriage is not registered and I have since divorced that woman," Manyengawana said.
According to the Marriages Act, any person who appears before a marriage officer twice under the Marriages Act 5: 11 without legally cancelling the first marriage would have committed bigamy, which is a chargeable offence.
Manyengawana was elected national assembly member for Highfield West constituency during the July 31 harmonised elections after beating Zanu-PF's Emanuel Juta.
It emerged yesterday that Manyengawana wedded Fisane Sibanda (ID number 29-179297 B 29) on April 20 2003 at St Killian Mission in Rusape under Marriage Act Chapter 5: 11.
The marriage was solemnised by Father Vitalis Benza of the Roman Catholic.
Without cancelling the first marriage as required by the law, Manyengawana misrepresented to a Pastor Kanyati of the Christ Alive Gospel Ministries that he was a divorcee and proceeded to wed Yvonne Nyakupinda in 2010.
Yvonne is believed to be a nurse at a local hospital.
The marriage took place at Ambassador Hotel on October 30, 2010 and witnessed by another member of the MDC-T Wesbter Maondera who was recently elected to represent Glen Norah in the national house of assembly. The Herald is in possession of the two marriage certificates, all of them still valid
"Akutii yakakanzurwa? I am not aware that the marriage certificate was cancelled," she said
The couple reportedly sired three children.
Fisane pleaded with this reporter not to publish the story.
"Mukwasha munoda kuti marriage certificate yangu iende pamberi penyika yese here. Musandidaro ndinodzingwa basa. Ivaiwo munhu anemwoyo titaurirane," she said.
In an interview at Herald House last Friday, Mr Manyengawana claimed his marriage with Fisane had been cancelled but he failed to produce evidence that the marriage certificate had been invalidated.
Before coming for the interview, Mr Manyengawana had promised to bring proof of the cancellation of the first marriage but failed. He later claimed to have been issued out with a fake marriage certificate in the first place.
"It is when I filed for divorce that I discovered that this marriage certificate was fake. The marriage is not registered and I have since divorced that woman," Manyengawana said.
Source - herald
