Harare - Zimbabwe's High Court on Wednesday threw out a bid by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's ex-lover to block his marriage to a new fiancee which is due to take place this weekend.
Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo argued she was Tsvangirai's customary wife and was seeking to block the premier's marriage to Elizabeth Macheka.
But Judge Antonia Guvava dismissed Karimatsenga's application, saying there was no evidence to support Tembo's claim of her customary law marriage to Tsvangirai.
Tembo had demanded $15,000 a month in maintenance expenses for her upkeep. Her lawyers said they would appeal the ruling.
Tsvangirai broke up with Tembo in November last year and has since become engaged to Macheka. Their weddding on Saturday is expected to be attended by regional leaders and senior government officials.
Macheka is daughter to a senior member of President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.
Tsvangirai's spokesman Luke Tamborinyoka welcomed the ruling.
“We hope it will allow the prime minister to proceed with preparations for his wedding, as well as to attend to pertinent matters of the state.”
Tsvangirai, announcing the termination of his relationship with Karimatsenga last year, said the relationship had been “irretrievably damaged” to the point where marriage had become “inconceivable.”
Tsvangirai's first wife of 31 years, Susan, was killed in a car accident in March 2009, just weeks after he went into a unity government with his long-time rival Mugabe following failed elections in 2008. - Sapa-AFP