By Simba Chikanza | The retired footballer, Shingi Kawondera has responded to a challenge by his ex wife Marry Mubaiwa to debate allegations he recently uttered against her character through a podcast.
In video footage streamed during the week, Kawondera accused the mother of his child, of cutting off his wealth, and of aiding in (alleged Genius Kadungure engineered) forgery he says robbed him of ‘his’ company, Pioneer Gas. He also said Marry and the late sociallite Kadungure (popularly known as Ginimbi) did not know each other till the day he (Kawondera) introduced them to each other.
“Before, ndisati ndadaro, vaisazivana…Vakatozotanga kuzivana through inini,” he said in Shona.
Responding to questions by ZimEye, Mubaiwa expresses shock over things Kawondera has alleged. (The full Mubaiwa interview follows.)
She loses control of speech in laughter at everything Kawondera has uttered just as she also dismisses the claim that she did not know her cousin or son, Ginimbi.
“How could I not have known Genius? His mother is my dad’s sister. So what is he saying? We weren’t strangers from a bottle store. “Genius and I were family;,” she says.
In the interview (coming up on ZimEye-full text at the bottom of the article) she also challenges him to a one to one public debate saying he must provide evidence of things he has uttered.
She also says the couple never owned any boutique at Eastlea as claimed by Kawondera. What they owned which was her own company naned after her sister, was a travel agency back then.
She says allegations that she aided in robbing his company as claimed by Kawondera require full disclosure not a podcast-monologue, and if he truly lost money, he should also make a legal claim against Ginimbi’s estate like others have done.
One of the claimants to Kadungure’s estate is businessman Mutumwa Mawere who has no known relationship with Mubaiwa.
She denies ever doing the things he says she did, suggesting also that she did not even know him (Kawondera) during their early days with Ginimbi.
Responding to the public challenge, Kawondera has so far backed down stating as follows:
Interview transcript between Marry Mubaiwa and Simba Chikanza.
Marry: Kupenga chairwoman ukwu!
Simba Chikanza:
What did you take?
Marry: What I’m saying, Marry… Shingi married someone else or he married other women—
Do you want me to record this?
Marry Mubaiwa:
That’s up to you.
Simba: Because I need to capture your thoughts.
Simba:
Okay, so Shingi married?
Marry: He married someone else, or he married other women after me, or before me—whatever. Or he was in relationships with other women before he was with me. Now he’s going on public radio to talk about his life, about the things he’s done in his life—
Why is he only talking about me?
Why am I the only woman or wife he’s talking about? He was married before. He was married after. Why is he not talking about those wives or girlfriends or whatever? Is he looking for attention? For relevance?
When they were doing whatever they were doing with Genius, I had nothing to do with it. Completely nothing.
Simba:
And he mentioned in that interview—you heard it too—that he sent money from Cyprus and started a company. He said it was La Shell, a boutique shop. Was that your company?
Marry:
Yes, I had a company called La Shell, but it was not a boutique. It was a travel agency.
Everybody knows La Shell was a travel and tour company. So what is he talking about? Has he got any idea?
Simba:
So it wasn’t his company?
Marry:
He needs to wake up from this dream. That company was mine, and it was in honor of my late sister Michelle—we called her “Shell.” So I called it “La Shell.”
I met Shingi after my sister died.
Simba:
Which year was that?
Marry:
You mean when I met Shingi?
I think 2006. My sister died in 2004.
Simba:
And you stayed together for how many years?
Marry:
We were together until maybe 2011—because I married the general towards the end of 2011.
Simba:
He also says you didn’t know Genius.
Marry:
How could I not have known Genius?
His mother is my dad’s sister. So what is he saying? We weren’t strangers from a bottle store.
Genius and I were family.
What Shingi should have said is maybe Genius and I weren’t that close. But don’t say I didn’t know him.
Simba:
So it’s incorrect for him to say he introduced you to Genius?
Marry:
Totally false. Genius and I were lifetime relatives.
Simba:
Now, he’s also said you cut off his football career.
Marry:
How did I do that?
I wasn’t caring, but I didn’t block his career. What does “cut me off” mean? Divorce? Taking his stuff?
Simba (playing audio):
“Yes, along the way it can be true because I built my life with Marry. That’s the truth. I was about to end my football career. Everything we had, we made it. That’s the truth. She just cut me off.”
Marry:
What does he mean “I was about to earn my football career”?
Does he mean end? Like to finish?
Simba:
Yes, he said “end,” as in E-N-D.
Marry:
Okay. But again—how did I end his career? I wasn’t involved in his football decisions. If he came back from Cyprus and couldn’t find me, what has that got to do with ending his football?
Simba:
Let’s go to the business issue. He claims Genius forged his signature to take over Pioneer Gas. He suggests you assisted Genius.
Marry:
Let’s clarify something. I knew Genius was doing gas, but I had no interest in his business. I did not interfere in Genius’s business. I had my own life.
If they were doing business, I have no idea. But if he had grievances, he could’ve come to Genius.
Genius’s funeral was very public. Not private.
He could’ve come to the family. Genius’s father is alive. His sister Nelia is there. He could have said, “I invested. I want my money or my stake.”
Simba:
Could he still do that today?
Marry:
I don’t know. Depends on who he’s fighting—me or Genius? Because Genius was around long after Shingi and I separated.
If he had a real issue, he could have approached Genius while he was alive.
Simba:
So his accusation isn’t just against Genius, but also the Registrar of Companies?
Marry:
Exactly.
He’s accusing the Registrar of fraud—because all company changes are signed off by them.
So is he saying the Registrar changed documentation illegally?
If his signature was forged—where’s the evidence? Where are the original papers? If he has that proof, he should go to court.
Some of Genius’s properties still exist. He can go to whoever is managing that and make a claim.
Simba:
Now—he also mentioned “false girls.” But he only names you. Are you the only one he could be referring to?
Marry:
I’m definitely not one of the “girls” he’s talking about. I was a woman. A wife. I don’t fall into that “false girls” category.
He’s probably talking about someone else.
Simba:
And he did praise you, saying you raised your daughter well and didn’t deprive him. That was positive.
Marry:
Yes, he acknowledged that. I appreciate that.
Simba:
So, what do you propose if I challenge him to a one-on-one with you?
Marry:
I don’t have a problem.
Simba:
Because the allegations he’s made—they’re spreading. People are forming opinions.
Marry:
Let him come. I’ll face him.
.