Gringo’s South Africa based wife speaks. Do they not always say, those who have died have rested, (vakafa vakazorora)? Zimbabwe’s finest comedian Lazarus Boora might be rested in his grave physically, but surely he has caused so much trouble even when he is rested in his grave peacefully.
Gringo, the troublemaker is no longer part of the cast physically, yet in soul and spirit he could be turning with anger towards his family and friends wrangle over his estate. Memory Chisinga the only wedded wife to Gringo has opened up in regards to last week’s edition on how the Gringo’s estate would be distributed and she wants to clear her name. When Gringo passed on, Memory was in South Africa, but the Boora relatives accused her of being the source of trouble that has followed Gringo to the grave.
Family members claim that Memory connived with Taurai, Gringo’s eldest son to fix Meki so that she would not get anything.
A source said that soon after Gringo’s death, Meki went to the courts trying to register Gringo’s estate and seek legal advice on how his property would be distributed. She visited all of Gringo’s friends and well-wishers who helped Gringo while he was alive to seek guidance and told them to continue giving under her name. Surprisingly, at the courts she found out about Chisinga.
Chisinga who had been separated from Gringo was quiet but after her name being abused on the media, she decided to speak.
“I have a life here in South Africa. I left Gringo when I was seven months pregnant and my boy is now 17 years old. I don’t want anything to do with his so called estate. I am happy with what I have,” she said. Chisinga said she wedded the late Gringo in 2002 but to date divorce papers have not been filed.
“I have instructed my relative to send me the marriage certificate to prove to the world but unfortunately the person who knows the whereabouts of the papers is not at home. I left Gringo in 2003 because of his insecurities,” she said Chisinga said if she ever wanted Gringo’s properties he left, she can use her marriage certificate over her co-wives so Meki should not drag her into the mud. “Meki should not drag me in their dirty shenanigans rather she should deal with others. I was done with Gringo, 17 years ago and I don’t need anything. I raised my children single handedly. Why claim his properties now? I don’t have issues with Meki as I have never met her.
“Remember if I wanted anything to do with the late I would have sued her for adultery damages because I was legally married when she moved in with him,” she said. She also included that she has good relations with other Boora family members. “I am not part of the Boora family but I have children so I hear everything that happens there. I have a very good relationship with other family members,” she said.
“I knew about his illness from day one. My friends Jackie Ngarande and Pokello helped in paying for his surgery last year, but ungrateful Meki had the guts to say . . . (Aah taifunga kuti vabatsira because they love Gringo ndaisatoziva kuti ishamwari dzamai Tanaka).
“Who does that? I didn’t come to the funeral but my family represented me,” she said. Chisinga said she had respect for Gringo. “If I was selfish, I would have taken the next flight to Zimbabwe the moment I heard about Gringo’s death.
“I would have used my marriage certificate and taken over as the surviving spouse or worse sued Meki for adultery damages, like said before. I have long moved on and dont stoop that low,” she said. Gringo’s possessions were taken to his rural home in Rusape with his children getting most of his clothes and the house was left for everyone to access. The fight continues but shouldnt the family sit down and resolve their issues privately? Many say, that is what happens when its a polygamous marriage, maybe, maybe not.
