By A Correspondent- ZESA executive chairman Sydney Gata is divorcing his wife of 35 years after telling a court their marriage has “irretrievably broken down.”

Gata married Ntombana Regina Mugabe, a sister to the late former president Robert Mugabe, in January 1987.

In summons filed at the Harare High Court, Gata said the couple had not lived together as husband and wife for 30 of those 35 years.

Gata says in court papers: “The marriage between us has irretrievably broken down… I have lost all love and affection towards the defendant. We have lived apart since 1992 which is inconsistent with a normal marriage relationship.

“We have reached an agreement with the defendant and the agreement has been reduced to a consent paper between us.”

In the settlement, biotechnologist Mugabe will keep a house in Grange, Harare, on a piece of land measuring 4,260 square meters.

Gata also agreed to pay Mugabe a lump sum of US$18,000 and US$800 in divorce costs.

The ZESA chief will also pay Mugabe US$500 monthly for her upkeep or the equivalent in Zimbabwean dollars backdated to January 1, 2022.

“Plaintiff’s obligation to pay spousal maintenance… shall terminate once the plaintiff’s employment contract with ZESA terminates on November 30, 2024, or is for any reason earlier terminated than November 30, 2024,” the couple’s agreement says.

Gata and Mugabe have a son together, who is now an adult.

The matter is pending.