MDC-T unsettled by Tsvangirai's deafening silence over his marriage

Several MDC-T officials yesterday said the party was increasingly getting unsettled by PM Morgan Tsvangirai's deafening silence over his alleged "marriage" and said unless their "morally embattled" leader came clean without further delay, the party's image could suffer irreparable damage, NewsDay reported.

Tsvangirai who was out of the country yesterday is expected to speak out on the issue of his "marriage" to Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo upon his return. MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said the party was treating the matter as "purely private issue."

PM Morgan Tsvangirai was inundated with questions about his marital status this week but chose to keep the nation guessing. On Tuesday the country woke up to news that the premier - whose wife Susan died in 2009 - had married a wealthy businesswoman with Zanu-PF links. Her family had confirmed this to the media.

But Tsvangirai, who has been linked to several women, vehemently denied that he had married Locadia Karimatsenga, although he did not deny she was pregnant - with his twins.

Some Zimbabweans even wondered why the premier had married in November - a month regarded as sacred in Shona tradition, during which you are not supposed to get married. But sources said Karimatsenga arrived at Tsvangirai's Strathaven home last week, demanding to be taken in as a live-in lover because she is pregnant.

"She came on Friday with relatives. They said they had come to leave her, but the Prime Minister would not have any of that.

He went to the family on Monday to pay damages but he was upset, as the Karimatsengas turned everything into a marriage ceremony when it was not," said an MDC official close to Tsvangirai.

"Of course, if he had not gone to pay damages, it could have got even messier than what it is." Tsvangirai is said to be furious at what his allies call "a dirty fight" by the Karimatsenga family, but his hands are tied and he is likely to be forced to find an amicable solution.

Tsvangirai was so keen to keep the matter private that he did not even brief his spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, who was in the dark when contacted for comment.

Meanwhile, PM Morgan Tsvangirai Friday left for SA amid reports he has slammed the door on relatives of his lover Locadia Tembo who are reportedly unhappy that he has denied ever intending to marry her. Tsvangirai denied he had an appointment with anyone from the Tembo family.