Mugabe criticise cabinet ministers for engaging in extramarital affairs

President Mugabe has criticised some Cabinet ministers for engaging in extramarital affairs while also expressing concern over the alarming rate of divorce cases in the country.

Speaking at the wedding of his niece, Shammah Chidhakwa, who married Nicholas Bhero at Venue Umwinzii in Umwinsidale, Harare, yesterday, Cde Mugabe said there was a need to uphold social and cultural values to preserve the marriage institution.

He said some ministers were taking advantage of their wealth to engage in extramarital affairs and therefore failed to be exemplary to the youth.

"Upfumi uhwu dzimwe nguwa ndihwo huri kutikataza. Small houses, small houses. Ndaiti kuCabinet: 'Kukutarisayi imi mose, ndingati asina imomu small house ndiani?' Let us not follow that. One man, one wife and your marriage will go a long way," said the President.

"The ladies must fight this out, but they are the people in small houses. Pano mataura kuti murawo unoti iwe murume ndiwe the head of the family. Hapoka! Gender equality yedu inobva papi ichitisvitsa papi? Let us preserve our culture and values.

"Indeed, we fight for the right of the girl child, but let us recognise those aspects of our customs, those aspects of Christianity, by binding them together and make them the basis of our morality, tizvisunge nehunhu hwedu.

"Hunhu. Taitaura nezuro (Friday) kuGreat Zimbabwe University takabva taiti ndeyeculture, hunhu hwedu, the Africanness. Now, Africanness is not moral decadence. Decadent morals ndipo patinenge taakuti, 'Aahh, mumwe anokwanisa kuita zvaanoda kana akada kuita homosexuality anobvumirwa. Then you know your nation has gone to the dogs. And we cannot allow our nation to go to the dogs."

President Mugabe said the newly-weds were bound together and must be satisfied with each other.

"Kuzvibata, kuzvichengeta. Haufambe uchingovhevha-vhevha. Isu takanga tisingangovhevhe.

Waitoenda kunasekuru kana wada musikana. Nicholas and Shammah, you are bound together. Muve nekuchengetedzana morega kunzwa vaye vanoda kuti mazita enyu afe.

President Mugabe said many young couples invite him to their weddings, but are yet to invite him when they divorce.

"Zvino makore ano taunganaka panapa nelove ndichiti nguva zhinji vakomana kumuchato kwandinoenda munotiunganidza tichitamba. Kumwe zvinonzi, 'President, chimbotambaiwo ini ndosimudzawo gumbo tozonzwa kuti muchato uya hapachisina. Ndozvandaisimudzira gumbo murume mukuru ndambosimudza gumbo? Kana kuzombondikokawo kuti muchato uya wamakasimudzira gumbo tarambana.

"Ivava ava vakomana nevasikana ava futi, so many breakages. So many divorces. Zvanyanya. Zvanyanya. Vafundisi tinonamata. Tinokumbira kuti dzidzo yedu irikupotsa papi? Akudzwa zvakanaka here mumba kana kuti hatirambi tichiteverana nemhuri dzedu dakara vachata? Pavanokura, nokuti pakukura ipapo vachiri muzvikoro, vamwe vanovhairaka.

"Mumwe chete-chete, a girlfriend anoti, 'You are stupid. You know these boys have so many girlfriends and we must do likewise before you actually settle on one.' Zvino chinyakare hachaidaro."

The President said the country would record a low number of divorce cases and extramarital affairs if individuals upheld Christian and traditional values.

"Ndovana mai vakudhara ava. Tsika dzakanga dzakadzama. Zvino tatova nechitendero. Hameno kuti chitendero chirikukurirwa here nemagariro ekuva pamwechete mumadhorobha, muzvikoro, munz- vimbo dzinotiunza pamwechete.

"Tingatotika ndokuvakwa kwemhuri, but, alas, things are not going in the direction of good morals.

"No, no, no. Our morals are getting lost.

"Hongu, tinoramba zvimwe zvedu zvakaita sehomosexuality, but people take freely the men in our society. Just look at yourself.

"Observe yourself and be true to yourself. Kutaurirana chokwadi. Chokwadi hachivanzike.

"Wasarudza wawasarudza. Ndiyeye wose. Vamwe vanouya mimvuri inongopfuura. Saka ndozvazviri. Saka batanai mudanane."

Speaking at the wedding, marriage officer Archbishop Eunor Guti of the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (Zaoga) said marriage was ordained by God and must be respected.