Tsvangirai publicly admits fathering Bulawayo love child

by Staff reporter

2012 June 30 18:01:46 | 3132 Views

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has for the first time publicly admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock with a Bulawayo woman.

Mr Tsvangirai had always declined to comment on his 19-month-old love-child with Ms Loretta Nyathi.

Although he reportedly made private arrangements to pay US$1 400 maintenance for his son, Ethan, he had never publicly acknowledged him.

He is also reportedly refusing to assist his mother obtain a birth certificate.

However, at a Press conference in Bulawayo yesterday, the MDC-T leader stunned reporters with one of his trademark U-turns in an outburst and denied ever shirking responsibility over Ethan.

"I have my personal life and you have yours. I would prefer that we keep it like that. I am not refusing to assist him. Whatever the reports you have heard, I will take care of it and his mother knows the arrangement that we have.

"I have not refused my responsibilities. It is not true that I am refusing to have my son get a birth certificate. I am happily married," said Mr Tsvangirai, apparently annoyed by the reporters' insistence to know why he was refusing to help his son get a birth certificate.

When news broke out last year that Mr Tsvangirai had impregnated Ms Nyathi, he reportedly rushed for an out-of-court settlement.

Press reports over the weekend indicated that Ms Nyathi's friends said Mr Tsvangirai, besides maintaining the child, had never shown any interest in him.

Ms Nyathi is said to have asked the MDC-T leader to increase the monthly contribution, saying it was not enough to cover expenses for her and the baby every month.

She reportedly pays US$550 rent, about US$300 for electricity and water bills, US$100 for the maid, and the remainder goes to groceries.

Ethan reportedly as no medical aid cover.

Ms Nyathi is reportedly arguing that taking care of Mr Tsvangirai's son is a full time job, which precluded her from getting another job to earn extra income.

She was said to be disgruntled that Ethan was not enjoying the same luxuries as Mr Tsvangirai's other children.

She is also said to be disadvantaged by his refusal to have any written maintenance agreement with her.

Her friends have reportedly said Ms Nyathi was traumatised by the fear that if she died, her family would not be able to get access to Mr Tsvangirai to make him continue supporting his son.

Tsvangirai and Nyathi first met in late 2009 at the Churchill Arms Hotel here, just months after his wife and mother of his six children, Susan, had died in a car crash.

Mr Tsvangirai recently splashed an estimated US$40 000 on a kitchen suite for his fiancÃ©e, Ms Elizabeth Macheka, before whisking her off to the US to spoil her on her belated birthday celebration.

His love life reads like a soap opera.

In 2009 he lost his wife in a car crash and soon after, he was linked to several women who include Acquilina Pamberi, Arikana Chihombori, Ms Nyathi, Leah Mhundwa and an unnamed Norton woman among others.

Last year in November, he "married" Ms Locaria Karimatsenga in a farcical union that lasted 11 days.

Tsvangirai

Source: Herald