Entertainment / Music
Muchinguri denies ever dating Simon Chimbetu
29 Jan 2014 at 12:16hrs | Views
Oppah Muchinguri, Women's Affairs, Gender and Community Development minister, has denied ever dating the late music icon Simon 'Chopper' Chimbetu.
She also refuted rumours that she was once involved in a cat fight with Grace Mugabe, the Zimbabwe first lady, over earrings.
Speaking for the first time at a meeting organised by Women in Politics Support Unit (Wipsu), Muchinguri said she wondered where the rumours emanated from.
"People say I dated Chimbetu, but where would I have seen him he was not on my level?" Muchinguri said.
"Some said Muchinguri fought with the first lady over earrings. Such stories are not true."
Muchinguri went down memory lane, speaking to young aspiring women politicians at a mentorship programme held in Harare.
Rumours of the alleged relationship between Chimbetu and Muchinguri erupted in the mid-90s when the late Dendera maestro penned a song in which he extolled the virtues of an imaginary woman by the name "Oppah".
"She is like an angel sent for me," Chopper sang.
Media reports in the late 1990s claimed Muchinguri had a public scuffle with the first lady at the Harare International Airport over earrings allegedly bought for her by President Robert Mugabe.
According to the reports, Grace then ordered Muchinguri off the plane, bound for a foreign trip, the report claimed.
This is all false, according to Muchinguri.
She said the rumour mill went into overdrive when she divorced her first husband, Tapiwa Rushesha.
Muchinguri said the divorce came through after five years of intense media scrutiny.
She is now married to a reverend.
Muchinguri said she has since developed thick skin.
"We need to change our attitudes," she said.
"Why do you believe in such stories? I have developed thick skin and you also need to develop it if you are to survive in politics."
The young women politicians were interested in Muchinguri's story as she outlined her journey since the liberation struggle.
Muchinguri said tough times for young women in politics was now a thing of the past due to the various laws that have been put in place.
"So, today, women face a better chance through platforms like Wipsu and our political parties," she said.
"As young women, you can learn about government structures, Parliament roles and functions following debates in the Hansard. Therefore as young women, you should take this opportunity to become educated, literate and relevant in your field of politics."
She also refuted rumours that she was once involved in a cat fight with Grace Mugabe, the Zimbabwe first lady, over earrings.
Speaking for the first time at a meeting organised by Women in Politics Support Unit (Wipsu), Muchinguri said she wondered where the rumours emanated from.
"People say I dated Chimbetu, but where would I have seen him he was not on my level?" Muchinguri said.
"Some said Muchinguri fought with the first lady over earrings. Such stories are not true."
Muchinguri went down memory lane, speaking to young aspiring women politicians at a mentorship programme held in Harare.
Rumours of the alleged relationship between Chimbetu and Muchinguri erupted in the mid-90s when the late Dendera maestro penned a song in which he extolled the virtues of an imaginary woman by the name "Oppah".
"She is like an angel sent for me," Chopper sang.
Media reports in the late 1990s claimed Muchinguri had a public scuffle with the first lady at the Harare International Airport over earrings allegedly bought for her by President Robert Mugabe.
According to the reports, Grace then ordered Muchinguri off the plane, bound for a foreign trip, the report claimed.
She said the rumour mill went into overdrive when she divorced her first husband, Tapiwa Rushesha.
Muchinguri said the divorce came through after five years of intense media scrutiny.
She is now married to a reverend.
Muchinguri said she has since developed thick skin.
"We need to change our attitudes," she said.
"Why do you believe in such stories? I have developed thick skin and you also need to develop it if you are to survive in politics."
The young women politicians were interested in Muchinguri's story as she outlined her journey since the liberation struggle.
Muchinguri said tough times for young women in politics was now a thing of the past due to the various laws that have been put in place.
"So, today, women face a better chance through platforms like Wipsu and our political parties," she said.
"As young women, you can learn about government structures, Parliament roles and functions following debates in the Hansard. Therefore as young women, you should take this opportunity to become educated, literate and relevant in your field of politics."
Source - dailynews
