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HARARE – The High Court has dismissed an application by businessman Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo seeking to throw out claims filed against him by ex-wife Sonja Louise Madzikanda for division of assets, dissolution of marriage, spousal maintenance and a declaration of the existence and dissolution of a civil partnership.

In a ruling handed down on Thursday, Justice Fatima Maxwell found that Chivayo’s application under rule 31(1) of the High Court rules amounted to “a veiled attempt to get the assistance of the court to defeat an extant order by consent.”

The dispute traces back to March 4, 2026, when Chivayo filed an urgent chamber application, seeking access to the minor children born to the parties pending resolution of the main matter – divorce proceedings initiated by Madzikanda. That application resulted in a consent order granted by Justice Amy Tsanga on April 2, 2026.

Beyond settling access arrangements for the children, the order recorded that the parties had agreed on the forum for resolving their dispute, with paragraph 1 stating: “The question of the proprietary consequences of the termination of the parties’ union shall be adjudicated under case number HCHF 62/2026 (divorce matter).”

Justice Maxwell found that by filing the present application on April 27, 2026, seeking dismissal of the claims relating to asset division, divorce, maintenance and the civil partnership declaration, Chivayo was attempting “to resile from the agreement that the proprietary consequences of the termination of the parties union shall be adjudicated under case number HCHF 62/2026.”

The judge held that the application “seeks to achieve a result that defeats the agreement reached by the parties resulting in the order by consent issued by Honourable Tsanga J,” adding that “the effect of that order is that the parties must litigate under HCHF 62/26 the proprietary issues between them.”

On the binding nature of court orders, Justice Maxwell stated: “It is trite that once a court has made an order, it binds all and sundry concerned. Everyone is bound by the court order until it is lawfully altered or discharged by a court of competent jurisdiction or statute.”

The judge was critical of Chivayo’s failure to disclose the existence of the consent order in his application, remarking: “Applicant did not address or refer to the existence of the order in HCHF 892/26. I take it as an attempt to pull wool over the court’s eyes.”

Justice Maxwell invoked the legal principle against inconsistent positions, holding that “a position that is not consistent with the adjudication of the proprietary issues between the parties under case number HCHF 62/2026 cannot be supposed by the court,” and that “no person can be allowed to take up two positions that are inconsistent with one another, commonly expressed as to blow hot and cold, to approbate and reprobate.”

Beyond the consent-order point, the judge found rule 31(1) itself inapplicable to the case. While the rule allows a defendant who has filed a plea to apply for dismissal of an action on the grounds that it is frivolous or vexatious, Justice Maxwell held that Chivayo “compromised his right by consenting that the proprietary issues be determined in case number HCHF 62/26.”

He further reasoned that the rule is designed for cases where “the whole action is bound to be dismissed by reason of being frivolous or vexatious,” and is not intended for situations “in which part of the claim is valid.”

On the test for absolution from the instance, the judge noted that a court “must ask itself if there is no evidence at all on each and every essential averment that the plaintiff must make to sustain the cause of action.”

Justice Maxwell pointed out that Chivayo was “not challenging the validity of the claims for custody and maintenance,” and noted that the parties held differing views on the applicability of the Marriages Act [Chapter 5:17] to their circumstances, with Madzikanda “even seeking recourse from the constitution.”

She concluded: “I am not persuaded that the summons can be termed totally hopeless to warrant dismissal.”

The application was dismissed with costs.

Advocate Sylvester Hashiti and Edley Mubaiwa appeared for Chivayo, instructed by Mpofu Mazhata Chambers, while Advocate Regina Mabwe appeared for Madzikanda, instructed by Mahuni Gidiri Law Chambers.

Madzikanda recently took to social media claiming that a court had ruled that she was never married to Chivayo and dismissed her divorce application, but even her lawyers say they do not know where she got tha information from as no such judgement exists.

She is claiming $25 million as part of her divorce settlement. Chivayo’s lawyers insist the couple, who have two young children together, were never married.

Source: ZimLive

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HARARE – Motorists have received fresh relief after the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) announced lower fuel prices for the next two weeks, reflecting easing global oil prices following the end of the Iran conflict.

Under the latest review effective June 19, diesel now costs US$1.99 per litre, down from US$2.09, while petrol blend (E20) has been reduced to US$1.98 from US$2.08. In local currency, diesel is pegged at ZiG53.26 per litre and petrol blend at ZiG53.00.

The reductions mark the latest decline since fuel prices surged in March as the Iran-Israel-United States conflict disrupted global oil supplies and drove up import costs.

At the peak of the crisis in March, ZERA raised diesel prices to US$2.05 per litre and petrol to US$2.17 per litre, citing international market pressures linked to the Middle East conflict.

Since then, fuel prices have steadily retreated as geopolitical tensions eased and crude oil prices softened. In April, diesel was reduced to US$2.09 per litre while petrol blend fell to US$2.08.

Government has also sought to contain fuel costs by increasing the ethanol blending ratio from E5 to E20, a move authorities said reduced petrol prices by about 18 US cents per litre. The higher blending ratio was introduced as part of a package of measures to shield consumers from the impact of global energy market volatility.

The latest prices mean motorists are now paying 19 US cents less for diesel than during the height of the crisis, while petrol has fallen by the same margin from its March peak.

ZERA said the new prices will remain in force for two weeks, adding that operators may sell fuel below the prescribed maximum prices depending on their trading advantages.

Before Israeli and American bombardment of Iran began on February 22, diesel was $1.52 per litre while petrol (E5) was $1.56 per litre.

Source: ZimLive

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The silver Toyota Fortuner GD6 sat crumpled on the shoulder of Mutoko Road, its rear and side panels a twisted testament to the violence of the impact. Near the Blue Ridge complex, a location already notorious for claiming lives, the king of Sungura, Alick Macheso, had just looked fate in the eye and blinked. For […]

The post Alick Macheso in accident with Wicknell Chivayo-gifted Toyota Fortuner and the curse of Orchestra Mberikwazvo first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

The political atmosphere in Zimbabwe has reached a boiling point as the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3 (CAB3) nears its finalisation. In a move that has stripped away any remaining veneer of democratic reform, a high-ranking ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has issued a chilling warning to those within the ruling party who have […]

The post There will be ‘baptism of fire’ once CAB3 is finalised: President Mnangagwa’s high-ranking ally hints first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

There is an emerging tendency among government officials, policy advocates, corporate executives and allied commentators to portray Zimbabwe’s recent economic growth figures as evidence of a broad-based private sector revival and the successful recovery of the productive economy.

By Brighton Musonza

Particular emphasis is being placed on the strong revenue growth reported by several large listed companies, with rising corporate earnings frequently cited as proof that economic reforms are beginning to yield results. At face value, these developments appear encouraging. However, a closer examination of the underlying drivers of this growth reveals a far more nuanced and potentially troubling structural reality.

Recent corporate disclosures provide an important insight into the composition of current economic activity. Delta Corporation, one of Zimbabwe’s largest consumer-facing businesses and arguably one of the country’s most reliable economic barometers, recently acknowledged that a significant component of its revenue growth has been supported by increased spending power originating from gold-related incomes. In practical terms, this spending power is not primarily being generated by the expansion of formal-sector employment, improvements in labour productivity, rising real wages, or the growth of manufacturing output. Rather, it is increasingly linked to incomes flowing from artisanal and small-scale gold mining activities, commonly referred to as Chikorokoza.

While this phenomenon undoubtedly injects liquidity into local economies and supports consumer spending, it raises important questions about the quality and sustainability of Zimbabwe’s current growth trajectory.

From a macroeconomic standpoint, sustainable economic development is generally characterised by growth driven by productivity improvements, capital formation, technological advancement and expanding formal employment opportunities. Such growth creates predictable income streams that allow households to plan, save, borrow and invest. It enables governments to broaden their tax base, strengthens financial intermediation and encourages long-term business investment.

By contrast, when aggregate demand is increasingly dependent on mineral extraction incomes, particularly from largely informal mining activities, the foundations of growth become considerably less stable. Commodity-driven consumption can generate impressive revenue growth for retailers, beverage companies and consumer goods manufacturers, but it does not necessarily signify structural transformation of the economy.

This distinction is critical because economic development is not merely about increasing consumption. It is about increasing productive capacity.

The reality is that Zimbabwe continues to exhibit many characteristics of an economy experiencing consumption-led growth without corresponding industrial expansion. This helps explain why positive GDP figures and strong corporate revenues have not translated into proportionate reductions in poverty, unemployment and economic vulnerability. It also helps explain why the informal sector continues to account for an estimated 80 percent of economic activity despite years of reported economic growth.

A healthy economy is one in which rising consumer demand originates from growing employment, increasing wages and expanding productive industries. Such an economy creates a virtuous cycle whereby firms invest because demand is predictable, banks lend because incomes are verifiable, and households consume because earnings are stable.

An economy dependent on mineral incomes operates differently.

Gold extraction generates income, but it does not necessarily generate broad-based economic linkages. The sector is often characterised by income volatility, fluctuating international commodity prices, environmental degradation and limited opportunities for large-scale employment creation. Moreover, much of the income generated within artisanal mining remains outside formal financial systems, reducing its contribution to tax revenues, pension accumulation, credit markets and institutional savings.

There is a reason why advanced economies, despite possessing substantial mineral resources, do not rely on artisanal mining as the primary engine of domestic demand. Countries such as Australia, Canada and South Africa have significant mining sectors, yet their economic stability is ultimately anchored in diversified productive activities including manufacturing, services, technology, logistics, finance and formalised commercial agriculture.

These sectors generate stable employment and predictable incomes, which in turn create sustainable consumer demand.

Predictability is one of the most underrated ingredients of economic development.

Modern economies function efficiently because economic agents respond to incentives in reasonably predictable ways. Central banks adjust interest rates with some confidence regarding how households and businesses will react. Governments design tax policies based on measurable economic activity. Financial institutions extend credit using reliable income data and verifiable cash flows.

This predictability becomes difficult to achieve when a substantial share of economic activity is informal and dependent upon commodity extraction.

Monetary policy transmission mechanisms become weaker. Financial intermediation becomes less effective. Economic forecasting becomes more uncertain. As a result, policymakers lose some of their ability to influence economic outcomes through conventional policy tools.

This challenge extends into the emerging digital economy.

One often overlooked feature of developed economies is the role played by formal retail systems in generating structured economic data. Supermarkets are not merely distribution channels for consumer goods; they are sophisticated price discovery and information platforms. Every transaction generates data that helps businesses understand consumer behaviour, assists policymakers in monitoring inflationary trends and enables financial institutions to assess economic activity.

In an increasingly AI-driven global economy, structured transactional data has become a strategic economic asset. Advanced analytics, machine learning systems and modern supply chains all rely upon accurate, machine-readable information generated through formal economic activity.

Highly informal economies face inherent disadvantages in this regard because a significant portion of economic transactions occur outside systems capable of generating usable economic intelligence.

The challenge for Zimbabwe therefore extends beyond increasing mineral production. The more fundamental challenge is transforming resource-based income into productive investment capable of creating sustainable employment opportunities, expanding industrial capacity and strengthening formal economic institutions.

History consistently demonstrates that countries escape poverty not through resource extraction alone but through structural transformation. Economic success is achieved when labour moves from low-productivity activities into higher-productivity sectors such as manufacturing, commercial agriculture, technology and modern services.

Employment-driven growth remains the most effective mechanism for expanding the middle class, reducing poverty and creating long-term economic resilience. Stable jobs generate stable incomes, and stable incomes generate sustainable demand.

Consequently, policymakers should be cautious about interpreting gold-driven consumption as evidence of broad-based economic transformation. Rising revenues among consumer-facing companies may reflect increased spending power, but they do not necessarily indicate the emergence of a diversified, productive and employment-intensive economy.

Beyond the economic concerns lies an equally important environmental dimension. Across mining communities in areas such as Shamva, Bindura and other gold-producing districts, the environmental footprint of artisanal mining has become increasingly visible. Rivers have been polluted, agricultural land degraded and ecosystems disrupted, often with limited rehabilitation efforts.

These environmental costs rarely appear in GDP statistics or corporate revenue reports, yet they represent a significant depletion of natural capital. Future generations may ultimately bear the cost of restoring landscapes, repairing damaged water systems and recovering lost agricultural productivity.

The central policy challenge facing Zimbabwe is therefore not simply how to produce more gold. It is how to convert temporary mineral wealth into permanent productive capacity. Gold can generate income, foreign currency and fiscal revenues, but it cannot substitute for industrialisation, technological advancement, formal employment creation and institutional development.

Economic transformation occurs when resource wealth becomes a catalyst for productive investment rather than a substitute for it. Until growth is anchored in sectors capable of generating stable employment, rising productivity and broad-based prosperity, headline economic figures will continue to tell only part of Zimbabwe’s economic story.

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