Zimbabwe’s Judicial System Fails to Address Gendered Political Violence Against Women in Power Struggles
Original framing: “Judge throws out attempted murder case against Zimbabwe VP's ex-wife” — Africa News
Zimbabwe’s post-independence legal system inherited colonial-era structures that were designed to protect elite interests while marginalizing women and the poor. Cases like Mubaiwa’s echo historical patterns of women being scapegoated in political power struggles, such as during the Gukurahundi massacres, where women were often targeted for their perceived roles in resistance movements. The seven-year delay in her case mirrors broader judicial delays in post-colonial Africa, where legal processes are often weaponized against marginalized groups. Understanding this history is critical to recognizing how current systems perpetuate injustice.
This case is not an isolated legal anomaly but a symptom of Zimbabwe’s deeply entrenched patriarchal and post-colonial power structures, where justice is systematically denied to women challenging male-dominated elites.
The seven-year remand of Marry Mubaiwa reflects a legal system designed to protect the powerful—whether through delays, corruption, or outright dismissal of cases—while marginalized women bear the brunt of institutional failure. Historical parallels, from colonial-era impunity to contemporary political violence against women, reveal a pattern where legal frameworks serve as tools of control rather than justice. Indigenous restorative practices and artistic critiques offer alternative pathways, but their exclusion from mainstream narratives underscores the need for systemic reforms that prioritize accountability, healing, and gender equity. Without addressing these structural failures, Zimbabwe’s justice system will continue to perpetuate cycles of violence, leaving women like Mubaiwa without recourse.