Tsvangirai has a weakness for sweetness, joins Clinton, Berlusconi, Zuma

Like many other big men of politics the world over, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has courted controversy over his rather frivolous private life.

For long he has been linked to several women since the death of his wife Susan in 2009.

A powerful politician in today's Zimbabwe by any measure, his private life has dominated the headlines in recent weeks more than his other life as a politician and Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai reportedly impregnated Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo out of wedlock and is not interested in settling down with the Harare-based commodity broker.

Whether this weakens his political standing is a debate for another day.

For now the former trade union leader and mineworker has earned his stripes in the school of "hard knocks."

This club includes politicians such as Italy's deposed but popular leader Silvio Berlusconi, former American President Bill Clinton, South African president Jacob Zuma, former International Monetary Fund (IMF) boss Dominique Strauss Kahn and French President Nicholas Sarkozy among others.

Like all these leaders, Tsvangirai has a weakness for sweetness, a character trait which according to analysts might just be his greatest undoing.

His political mis-judgments have been easily forgotten by his followers but his less cautious and perpetual propensity for procrastination is likely to lose him a few friends.

He has so far largely remained mum on the matter unlike his other contemporaries who have largely used the word "sorry" to put away the scandals.

Tsvangirai has had other alleged previous escapades with women the most notable one but less talked about being his involvement with a 23-year-old Bulawayo woman, Loreta Nyathi with whom is claimed they have a son.

Loreta is the daughter of former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) employee Inglam Nyathi.

He has also been linked to Leah Mhundwa, his late wife Susan's sister. She is staying at his Fourways home in Johannesburg, South Africa looking after his twins who are studying there.

He has courted controversy when he appeared at the inauguration of Jacob Zuma hand in hand with American-based doctor, Arikana Chihombori.

Aquilina Kayidza Pamberi who is said to have divorced his husband for Tsvangirai is one of the women who has been linked to the Prime Minister.

The man with the closest similarities to Tsvangirai is South African President Jacob Zuma, who has five wives and 20 children.

He has been involved with many women as well including one who had to seek asylum in Europe after accusing him of rape.

Strauss Kahn is also a bird of the same feather with Tsvangirai.

Though he later successfully argued his way out of an alleged rape case with Nafissatou Diallo, a 32-year-old Guinean woman, his reputation, along with his hopes of becoming the next French president, lay in tatters.

Ousted Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi earned himself the title of a Casanova because of his famous "Bunga Bunga" parties most of which he will romped with teenage girls. He never felt ashamed by this.

Among some of the famous teenage girls, he has dated are 17-year-old girl, Karima "Ruby" El Mahroug and 18-year-old model Noemi Letizia who led to the breakdown of his marriage to his second wife.

Zuma (68) is a celebrated polygamist.

His iniquities have so far failed to undo his political career. Clinton a celebrated philanthropist had his own fair share controversy during his days as the American president.

He was linked to extra-marital affairs with several women but only publicly admitted to his relationships with Monica Lewinsky and Jennifer Flowers.

With such a long and celebrated list of contemporaries like this, Tsvangirai is unlikely to worry much about his latest episode with Karimatsenga.