News / National
Zanu-PF congratulates Tsvangirai, MDC-T senators unhappy
24 Nov 2011 at 04:46hrs | Views
THERE was drama in Senate yesterday when MDC-T senators demanded that Zanu-PF withdraws its congratulatory message to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for marrying a new wife.
MDC-T senators claimed they had not been officially informed of PM Tsvangirai's marriage.
Drama unfolded when Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, on behalf of the party, congratulated PM Tsvangirai (59) for marrying Ms Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo (39).
PM Tsvangirai paid lobola for Ms Tembo on Monday.
Ms Tembo is from a Zanu-PF background and her sister Biata Beatrice Nyamupinga is Zanu-PF legislator for Goromonzi.
PM Tsvangirai paid US$36 000 cash, 10 live beasts and groceries.
A senior party official implied that the PM paid lobola as a damage control measure while others were of the view that he married to deflect questions over his sexuality following his spirited pro-homosexual stance.
Mr Tsvangirai's spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyoka has repeatedly expressed ignorance of the marriage.
Contrary to what happened in the Senate yesterday, MDC-T House of Assembly Members on Tuesday addressed Nyamupinga as "amaiguru".
Khaya Moyo said this while was winding up his motion on the Presidential Speech.
Said Khaya Moyo: "Finally, may I on behalf of our party Zanu-PF congratulate the Right Honourable Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for marrying his new wife at a traditional ceremony on Monday.
"We wish him and his wife a rewarding relationship, good health and God's blessings."
Initially, the whole House, including MDC-T senators, applauded and ululated while singing a popular marriage jingle "Muroora tauya naye, nemagumbeze."
Some MDC-T senators could be heard saying the marriage symbolised that Zanu-PF had been married into MDC-T.
However, in the middle of the singing, MDC-T senators made a sudden U-turn and raised a point of order.
MDC-T Senate chief whip Ms Gladys Dube stood up demanding that Khaya Moyo withdraws his congratulatory message because their party members had not been officially informed of the marriage.
She said it was important for the PM to officially inform the nation if he had indeed married.
"We have not been informed of the marriage and you can't rely on newspapers," Sen Dube said.
"The PM has to say it himself, he hasn't told us, let's wait for him to tell us. Senator Moyo has to withdraw the congratulatory part."
Senate President Edna Madzongwe then requested Khaya Moyo to withdraw the congratulatory message.
"Just withdraw on the marriage of the Prime Minister because the motion cannot be adopted with that included," Madzongwe said. Khaya Moyo then withdrew his statement, but said his party was congratulating the PM for doing a good thing.
During the debate, Zanu-PF Senator for Rushinga Damian Mumvuri told MDC-T female senators PM Tsvangirai had made his choice in marrying Ms Tembo because he loved her.
He asked them why they had not married the PM if they loved him.
After the House had adjourned, debate continued outside with some chiefs saying PM Tsvangirai had broken tradition by marrying in November and should be fined.
A senior MDC-T senator asked rhetotically: What would you do, if your donkey were to fall into a pit on a Sunday? His (PM) donkey fell into the pit on a Sunday and there was no way he would have left it lying in the pit," he said, implying that Ms Tembo was pregnant and the PM was doing damage control.
There are rumours that Ms Tembo is pregnant. Her family has said politics will be left out of the marriage.
MDC-T senators claimed they had not been officially informed of PM Tsvangirai's marriage.
Drama unfolded when Zanu-PF national chairman Simon Khaya Moyo, on behalf of the party, congratulated PM Tsvangirai (59) for marrying Ms Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo (39).
PM Tsvangirai paid lobola for Ms Tembo on Monday.
Ms Tembo is from a Zanu-PF background and her sister Biata Beatrice Nyamupinga is Zanu-PF legislator for Goromonzi.
PM Tsvangirai paid US$36 000 cash, 10 live beasts and groceries.
A senior party official implied that the PM paid lobola as a damage control measure while others were of the view that he married to deflect questions over his sexuality following his spirited pro-homosexual stance.
Mr Tsvangirai's spokesperson Mr Luke Tamborinyoka has repeatedly expressed ignorance of the marriage.
Contrary to what happened in the Senate yesterday, MDC-T House of Assembly Members on Tuesday addressed Nyamupinga as "amaiguru".
Khaya Moyo said this while was winding up his motion on the Presidential Speech.
Said Khaya Moyo: "Finally, may I on behalf of our party Zanu-PF congratulate the Right Honourable Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for marrying his new wife at a traditional ceremony on Monday.
"We wish him and his wife a rewarding relationship, good health and God's blessings."
Initially, the whole House, including MDC-T senators, applauded and ululated while singing a popular marriage jingle "Muroora tauya naye, nemagumbeze."
However, in the middle of the singing, MDC-T senators made a sudden U-turn and raised a point of order.
MDC-T Senate chief whip Ms Gladys Dube stood up demanding that Khaya Moyo withdraws his congratulatory message because their party members had not been officially informed of the marriage.
She said it was important for the PM to officially inform the nation if he had indeed married.
"We have not been informed of the marriage and you can't rely on newspapers," Sen Dube said.
"The PM has to say it himself, he hasn't told us, let's wait for him to tell us. Senator Moyo has to withdraw the congratulatory part."
Senate President Edna Madzongwe then requested Khaya Moyo to withdraw the congratulatory message.
"Just withdraw on the marriage of the Prime Minister because the motion cannot be adopted with that included," Madzongwe said. Khaya Moyo then withdrew his statement, but said his party was congratulating the PM for doing a good thing.
During the debate, Zanu-PF Senator for Rushinga Damian Mumvuri told MDC-T female senators PM Tsvangirai had made his choice in marrying Ms Tembo because he loved her.
He asked them why they had not married the PM if they loved him.
After the House had adjourned, debate continued outside with some chiefs saying PM Tsvangirai had broken tradition by marrying in November and should be fined.
A senior MDC-T senator asked rhetotically: What would you do, if your donkey were to fall into a pit on a Sunday? His (PM) donkey fell into the pit on a Sunday and there was no way he would have left it lying in the pit," he said, implying that Ms Tembo was pregnant and the PM was doing damage control.
There are rumours that Ms Tembo is pregnant. Her family has said politics will be left out of the marriage.
Source - zimpapers
