News / National
Tsvangirai's in-laws threaten to release video footage of lobola
26 Nov 2011 at 21:26hrs | Views
The in-laws of MDC-T leader, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai have threatened to release video footage of what they claim to be proceedings of the marriage between the premier and Harare businesswoman Ms Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo.
This follows spirited denials from Mr Tsvangirai's lieutenants that the US$36 000 traditional marriage ceremony took place. The week-long saga has sucked in Home Affairs co-Minister Teresa Makone, leaving the MDC-T in a quandary.
Statements from his office last week suggested he paid only US$10 000 in "damages" after impregnating Ms Tembo.
However, information gathered between Friday and yesterday revealed the Tembo family could be holding on to video footage most likely to lay the matter to rest.
Ms Tembo's uncle, Mr Isaiah Karimatsenga, yesterday said Mrs Makone was present during the entire ceremony that was captured on camera in Christon Bank last Monday.
He, however, said the footage was not for public consumption.
Efforts to get a comment from the Prime Minister's family were fruitless last night.
"We have a video of the proceedings as this was an important family occasion," said Mr Karimatsenga.
"It was a grand occasion for us. I can also confirm that Mrs Makone was with us during the entire process.
"Luke Tamborinyoka (Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman) should not speak on this matter because these are not office matters and he was not there when the marriage took place."
A family source said the family was prepared to avail the footage if Mr Tsvangirai continues to "disrespect" them.
The source also maintained Ms Tembo is not pregnant.
"What we should not deny are rumours about the marriage. Mr Tsvangirai and Locadia are yet to speak about it," said the source.
"We have video footage of all the marriage proceedings and we will not hesitate to show it to the public if things continue like this. We are prepared to post the video on YouTube! Do you think all those elderly people who attended the ceremony are crazy? In our culture, we respect the elders and the word of all those that have spoken should be trusted."
As the PM's in-laws were breathing fire, a top MDC-T official in the party's national executive said there were efforts to seek a full explanation from Mr Tsvangirai regarding the matter.
"This is a private matter that ordinarily we would have not cared about but then it's tarnishing the image of the party and, to make matters worse, some overzealous little officials with no clue about what is going on are busy embarrassing the Prime Minister saying shameful things. At first our position was that this was a private matter, but then the Prime Minister is leaving his officials to mess things up and the party is suffering in the process. We can't keep folding our hands," said the official. The official said "once the president (Tsvangirai)returns from SA, we will seek channels to engage him for an explanation".
Said the official: "What is more worrying for us as a party is that there are some people who, instead of campaigning for the impending elections, are busy campaigning to get into the Prime Minister's bedroom through their relatives.
"This whole thing is now a mess and we want the Prime Minister to know our feelings as a party.
"Some months ago, we heard that the Prime Minister was going to marry a Mt Pleasant woman. Although we had our reservations, we said we should not interfere in the PM's private life. Now, like a bolt from the blue, this Tembo woman whom we thought the PM had ditched a long time ago, comes up and before we know it some overexcited officials in the PM's Office confirm that indeed the PM got her pregnant. Honestly, we hope those responsible have a clever formula of getting out of this one.
So far, we think this could have been handled in a better way."
According to information gathered last week, Mr Tsvangirai and Ms Tembo met regularly in South Africa where they spent quality time at the latter's house in an affluent suburb in Johannesburg.
At home, they met at their respective homes. It is understood the Prime Minister initiated moves to solemnise their relationship some two months ago.
"When he went to America last September, he told his relatives to start making arrangements for the marriage," said a source. The marriage talks started around that time. An aunt, Mai Mafara, handled the issue for the Tembos while (Mr Innocent) Zvaipa was Morgan's go-between."
Meanwhile, a profile purported to belong to Ms Tembo has caused a stir on the Facebook social network. It suggests she upgraded her status from "single" to "married" and added "Tsvangirai" as her last name.
This follows spirited denials from Mr Tsvangirai's lieutenants that the US$36 000 traditional marriage ceremony took place. The week-long saga has sucked in Home Affairs co-Minister Teresa Makone, leaving the MDC-T in a quandary.
Statements from his office last week suggested he paid only US$10 000 in "damages" after impregnating Ms Tembo.
However, information gathered between Friday and yesterday revealed the Tembo family could be holding on to video footage most likely to lay the matter to rest.
Ms Tembo's uncle, Mr Isaiah Karimatsenga, yesterday said Mrs Makone was present during the entire ceremony that was captured on camera in Christon Bank last Monday.
He, however, said the footage was not for public consumption.
Efforts to get a comment from the Prime Minister's family were fruitless last night.
"We have a video of the proceedings as this was an important family occasion," said Mr Karimatsenga.
"It was a grand occasion for us. I can also confirm that Mrs Makone was with us during the entire process.
"Luke Tamborinyoka (Mr Tsvangirai's spokesman) should not speak on this matter because these are not office matters and he was not there when the marriage took place."
A family source said the family was prepared to avail the footage if Mr Tsvangirai continues to "disrespect" them.
The source also maintained Ms Tembo is not pregnant.
"What we should not deny are rumours about the marriage. Mr Tsvangirai and Locadia are yet to speak about it," said the source.
"We have video footage of all the marriage proceedings and we will not hesitate to show it to the public if things continue like this. We are prepared to post the video on YouTube! Do you think all those elderly people who attended the ceremony are crazy? In our culture, we respect the elders and the word of all those that have spoken should be trusted."
As the PM's in-laws were breathing fire, a top MDC-T official in the party's national executive said there were efforts to seek a full explanation from Mr Tsvangirai regarding the matter.
"This is a private matter that ordinarily we would have not cared about but then it's tarnishing the image of the party and, to make matters worse, some overzealous little officials with no clue about what is going on are busy embarrassing the Prime Minister saying shameful things. At first our position was that this was a private matter, but then the Prime Minister is leaving his officials to mess things up and the party is suffering in the process. We can't keep folding our hands," said the official. The official said "once the president (Tsvangirai)returns from SA, we will seek channels to engage him for an explanation".
Said the official: "What is more worrying for us as a party is that there are some people who, instead of campaigning for the impending elections, are busy campaigning to get into the Prime Minister's bedroom through their relatives.
"This whole thing is now a mess and we want the Prime Minister to know our feelings as a party.
"Some months ago, we heard that the Prime Minister was going to marry a Mt Pleasant woman. Although we had our reservations, we said we should not interfere in the PM's private life. Now, like a bolt from the blue, this Tembo woman whom we thought the PM had ditched a long time ago, comes up and before we know it some overexcited officials in the PM's Office confirm that indeed the PM got her pregnant. Honestly, we hope those responsible have a clever formula of getting out of this one.
So far, we think this could have been handled in a better way."
According to information gathered last week, Mr Tsvangirai and Ms Tembo met regularly in South Africa where they spent quality time at the latter's house in an affluent suburb in Johannesburg.
At home, they met at their respective homes. It is understood the Prime Minister initiated moves to solemnise their relationship some two months ago.
"When he went to America last September, he told his relatives to start making arrangements for the marriage," said a source. The marriage talks started around that time. An aunt, Mai Mafara, handled the issue for the Tembos while (Mr Innocent) Zvaipa was Morgan's go-between."
Meanwhile, a profile purported to belong to Ms Tembo has caused a stir on the Facebook social network. It suggests she upgraded her status from "single" to "married" and added "Tsvangirai" as her last name.
Source - Sunday Mail
