Andrew Langa's daughter ties the knot

The only daughter  of Zimbabwe Deputy Minister of Public Service, Member of House of Assembly for Insiza North, Andrew Langa, Vigilance (23) got married to Simon Musasiwa (25) of Chivhu in Mashonaland East and made their wedding vows at a colourful ceremony at the Langa homestead at Msithi Village.

The wedding ceremony started with a church service presided over by Father Bernard Makore and Father Johannes Maseko from Ekusileni Roman Catholic Mission as the new young couple tied the knot and made their vows.

Political leaders who graced the occasion were Matabeleland South Governor Angeline Masuku who gave a speech, Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development  Sithembiso Nyoni and her husband Peter Baka Nyoni, Minister of Public Service Lucia Matibenga, Deputy President of the Senate Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu, who is also Insiza Senator, Zanu-PF Politburo member Joshua Malinga, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Seiso Moyo, Bubi Member of Parliament Clifford Sibanda, businessman Mr Obert Sibanda, councillors, traditional leaders, commercial farmers and miners.

Songbird Sandra Ndebele, jazz sensation Majahawodwa "Jeys" Marabini and an all male dance group Crazy Boys provided entertainment and wowed the crowd with scintillating dance and "marriage music".

So cheerful was the crowd that the director of ceremonies struggled to contain it during the proceedings, as they wanted to catch a glimpse of the happy couple and musicians. It also took sometime for the director of ceremonies to convince the crowd to go for lunch as it was held spellbound by the musicians.

Governor Masuku said the event was a unique occasion in the province. She encouraged youths in the whole country to emulate the young couple especially at a time when the country was facing challenges of HIV and Aids.

Governor Masuku said by marrying someone from Mashonaland, Vigilance had proved that love has no boundaries, which should be a lesson to every Zimbabwean.

"This is not usual in our province to have many people from different places coming together like this. You have built love between two different families and showed that love has no boundaries, tribe or colour because it is one. To Vigilance, I say you are special because you have paved way for other youths in the province and country as a whole. I encourage every youth here who would want to get married in future to go for HIV testing first. You should learn from these two, ukuziphatha kuyinto enhle ikakhulu lina abancane ake lizikhangele, lazi ukuthi ukuziphatha kutshoni," said Governor Masuku.

She said Vigilance had not only made the Langa family proud, but the province as a whole.

"Now you have to look forward at married life and do not take the Musasiwa family as a bus stop that you are just passing by but you should be their pillar until death separates you like you said in your vows and make your family proud," she said.

Governor Masuku took the opportunity to urge youths to harness the opportunities provided by the Government in the indigenisation and empowerment programmes to develop themselves. "Our independence opened opportunities for us all to develop economically and socially. We hope our daughter would continue with developmental work she was doing here in the province especially in the constituency and hope she would take these opportunities to the Musasiwas to show that she is from a family that works for development," she said.

Minister Matibenga said there was no reason for her not to attend the wedding.  "This is like a wedding from my ministry and I would not have missed it. I had to be here and wish the couple the best of luck and to respect each other," she said.

Despite the happiness that was clearly planted on his face, Langa, who is also Zanu-PF provincial chairman for Matabeleland South, spoke emotionally while addressing the crowd, saying the Musasiwas would have killed his spirit if they did not treat his  daughter well whom he loves dearly.

"I want to tell the Musasiwas not to take my daughter and go to abuse her. They should know they have just taken my pride and would kill my spirit if they abuse her. It is difficult to let someone you love go. I have four children and she was the only daughter and has left a painful vacuum in the family. I am not very bitter though and wish them all the best in their lives," said Langa.

"As a parent I am grateful my daughter found someone to settle with. I wish them many years to come and urge other youths to emulate this because it builds ubuntu bethu njengabantu beSiNdebeleni."