This is how the current divorce, paternity dispute leading to death of my child happened- diplomat Rugari speaks out
Zimbabwe’s Consular General to Uganda, Chris Rugari has broken the silence on circumstances surrounding the current divorce and paternity dispute.
The dispute led to the arrest and detention of Rugari’s enstranged wife, Joline Kanoheri following the tragic death of his two-year-old son Nganwa Rugari, who was under her care.
In a statement on Wednesday, Rugari said having got married in 2008, they got their child in 2010, the second in 2013, third in 2015, fourth in 2022 and the last in 2024.
“We enjoyed what I would describe as a wonderful and conflict-free relationship. Our first three children were born at Kololo Hospital, and I signed their birth certificates as their biological father. I took them for immunization, bathed ,cooked for them food, and dressed them . I financially supported their education as their father at Kisffer Kindergarten in Bugolobi, then Gemz Cambridge Butabika , and later during Covid ,through online schooling in Lusaka Zambia when Gemz Cambridge closed,” Rugari said.
He said in the statement, he later relocated all his kids to Turkey to pursue specialized education in basketball, football, art, and drama.
“ I had a great bond with all of them . Our fourth child ( who died recently)was born in German Saudi Hospital, and I again signed his birth certificate as the father. Our last child was born after the paternity issues in our relationship had already begun during her pregnancy, and I wasn’t able to sign the birth certificate.”
Things take a turn
He says he has always been grateful for what he believed was a decent, faithful, and loving wife, and that he was extremely proud of their family.
“If perhaps I had died before and went to heaven , the first thing I would have told God was to say thank you for giving me a wonderful wife.”
Rugari however says in September 2023, things took an unprecedented turn when he discovered that two of their three eldest children were not biologically his.
“ This is when my conflict with Jolin began.”
He dismissed as untrue, reports that she at one time forced her wife to remove the uterus as has been reported in some online publications.
Rugari said these claims are made by his estranged wife and her close allies to divert attention from the death of their two-year- old child.
I have seen misleading information on some online media stating that I forced my ex-wife to undergo a hysterectomy after the birth of our first born and that it’s me who gave her the permission to go ,cheat and have children outside. This is not only shocking but also deeply disturbing. Whoever conceived that narrative needs a sobriety test, as it lacks any logical basis,”Rugari said.
“The misleading angle she and her team are working overtime to sell to the public is meant to divert the public from discussing a puzzling issue that has astonished the medical community about how a 2 year old child falls from the first floor of the house , drops himself on hard surface but doesn’t experience any external or internal injuries but dies and you the caretaker , you keep insisting that the cause of death is accident caused by falling even when it’s not possible under science .”
Rugari however urged the public not to be misled by what he termed as disinformation and fabricated propaganda intended to divert “attention from what caused my child’s death.
“My sole concern now is uncovering the truth behind this tragedy. In 2023, I had a happy family of 4 children and a lovely wife. Today , my wife is in prison on suspicion of murdering her own baby , the DNA has already ruled out that I am the father of two kids, the one who was biologically mine is dead under unclear circumstances so it’s not easy. I hope you understand. “
