Bona demands US$8k/m for children’s upkeep 

Source: Bona demands US$8k/m for children’s upkeep -Newsday Zimbabwe

DURING HAPPIER TIMES … Simba Chikore and Bona

THE late former President Robert Mugabe’s daughter, Bona Mugabe-Chikore, is demanding US$8 100 per month from her estranged husband, Simbarashe Chikore for the maintenance of their three children, court filings show.

Bona (32) and Chikore (46) married on March 1, 2014.

In the application filed by her lawyers Chimwamurombe Legal Practitioners, Bona said the marriage had irretrievably broken down and that there was no reasonable prospect of the restoration of a normal marriage relationship between them.

The two had lost all love and affection for each other and have been living apart for over nine months.

As part of the divorce agreement, Bona also wants Chikore to be granted access to their children aged seven, five and two, every other weekend.

“It is in the best interests of the minor children that the plaintiff is given full custody of the children, with the defendant being granted access to them every alternating weekend from Saturday between 8am to Sunday 5pm agreed in advance at agreed places,” the documents show.

“In the event of the granting of a divorce decree by this honourable court, it will be just and equitable that the defendant be ordered to pay maintenance for the minor children in the sum of US$2 700 per child monthly, until attaining of majority status or they become self-sustaining, whichever occurs first.

“Both the plaintiff and defendant are self-sustaining and, therefore, there would be no need for either the plaintiff or the defendant to maintain the other post-divorce.”

The lawyers also proposed that the two would share movable and immovable property which they acquired equitably.

“During the subsistence of the marriage, the parties both jointly and severally acquired various movable and immovable property, which the plaintiff avers will be just and equitable if such identified and distinguished property is made; and where applicable division of those certain and relevant joint assets is dealt with in a separate suit after the granting of divorce decree as permitted by section 7 of the Matrimonial Causes Act (Chapter 05:13),” the lawyers said.

“The marriage has irretrievably broken down and the plaintiff avers that dealing with proprietary issues in this suit will only delay the granting of the divorce decree, therefore, it is just and equitable that proprietary issues be dealt with post-divorce.

“The plaintiff avers that the parties are still engaging each other regarding their proprietary interests and rights, and that a decree of divorce may be granted pending the finalisation of such negotiations, with either of the parties retaining the right to approach the court in the event of such negotiations failing to yield a settlement,” the lawyers said.