Mugabe's grandson expected in Zimbabwe by mid month

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe on Friday revealed that he was now a grandfather after his first born daughter, Bona Chikore, gave birth to a baby boy outside the country last month.

Addressing members of the Gutu clan and other senior government and Zanu-PF officials at the homestead of his late uncle Chief Gutu, Anos Kasirai Masanganise, outside Mpandawana Growth Point, President Mugabe said his grandson was expected in the country mid month.

The President had visited Chief Gutu's homestead to lay wreaths and commiserate with the family following the death of his uncle in 2013. He also laid wreaths on the late Chief Gutu's wife Ambuya Pamhidzai Masanganise who passed on in 2011.

Mugabe said the First Lady Grace Mugabe could not accompany him to the Gutu clan as she was out of the country with their daughter Bona.

'"The First Lady would have accompanied me to pay my last respects to my uncle, but she couldn't make it as she's outside the country with our daughter (Bona Mugabe-Chikore) who gave birth to a son whom I said is going to look after my cattle,'' he said, roaring into laughter.

"The doctors said he can't board a plane until after one month, so we're expecting them sometime this month (May) around the 16th or 17th." Bona and her husband, Simba Chikore, wedded on March 1, 2014, at a colourful ceremony that was attended by several Heads of State from the region.

President Mugabe told members of the Gutu clan that he would never forget his roots and chronicled how he was raised by his uncle Shonhiwa of the Gumbo totem.

He chronicled his history from his early childhood days when he used to herd cattle with the other boys of his age and expressed gratitude to his uncle for fending for him and sending him to school until he became a teacher.

The upbringing at the hands of his uncles, President Mugabe said, helped to shape him into an individual who firmly believed in the importance of family unit.

"I won't forget that I grew up under your guidance, Madyirapanze (uncles' totem). We moved to Zvimba because my father wanted us to go to school at Kutama Mission which was closer. Karigamombe was far, about 7 miles. So we grew up herding cattle, there's no African tradition that I don't know. I'm not uncultured,'' he said. "I won't forget Madyirapanze, he's the one who molded our characters. I won't forget. If our mother, (Ambuya Bona Mugabe) was alive, he would have accompanied me but then she is late".

President Mugabe said a person should have high regard for his or her relatives because others like political friends were not permanent. He thanked members of the Gutu clan for affording his uncle a decent burial, saying he felt honoured to unveil the tombstone at the late Chief Gutu's grave and that of his wife.

Acting Chief Gutu, Edmund Masanganise thanked President Mugabe for his humility, adding that the Gutu clan was honoured to have sired an offspring who grew to become an iconic leader not only for Zimbabwe but for the whole of Africa.

Chief Gutu assured President Mugabe that the entire Gutu clan, whose area of jurisdiction straddles most parts of Gutu district, would continue to support him and the ruling Zanu-PF party to continue winning elections.

He also thanked him for upgrading several headmen of the Gutu clan into chiefs while new headmen that were banned by the colonial regime were also restored. The Acting Chief also appealed to President Mugabe to ensure that the rural electrification programme was expanded in his area.