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Tendai Rupapa-Senior Reporter
WOMEN must be there for one another at all times and not spend time gossiping and pulling each other down to the detriment of national progress, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.
Speaking at talk show host, Dr Rebecca Chisamba’s 36th anniversary dinner celebration on Friday, Dr Mnangagwa saluted her dedication, perseverance and efforts to build the nation through her mature, interactive programmes.
She went down memory lane, chronicling their working relationship and how she helped Dr Chisamba when she was starting her out of studio programmes.
Amai Mnangagwa assisted her with venues for the much-needed recordings and would use her personal vehicle to transport Mai Chisamba and her crew, way before she became the First Lady.
The First Lady said she was also inspired by Dr Chisamba, whom she said was a perfect example of how one can succeed with focus and dedication.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa addresses guests during Dr Rebecca Chisamba’s 36th Anniversary dinner celebration in Harare.
“I recognise a woman who is in the business of moulding us as a nation of Zimbabwe, especially us as women. I wish to thank you heartily all women here present who came for a cause of showing one of us and hearing her dedication in her journey up to this day.
“I wish God exalts us as women. It is rare for women to stand for one of their own. In most cases we pull each other down and gossip, but your presence here shows that you are mature and you abhor this issue of pulling one another down.
“Amai Chisamba is a light to us as women that we can achieve as women and a girl child you can do it. All that is dedication, perseverance and not listening to things that retard progress.
“If I think of Amai Chisamba, even in circumstances where I am tempted to give up, she is someone who inspired me in life. There is no life where you can go it alone without any reference to somebody who also made it. We thank vana baba who have accompanied us to stand with our friend Amai Chisamba. I thank you very much. The things Amai Chisamba was talking about when I was a general manager at Ambassador Hotel, I had forgotten about them.
“It was history to me. I sat down and recollected that indeed we moved in this direction. Everyone in their life there are things that come, let’s look forward to these things. God never says because you were born poor you shall die poor.
“There is a time when she opens a window of opportunities for you and when you are not prepared, the opportunity will pass as you dilly dally and dabble in useless things. It will pass when you are at a wrong place.
“Know the kind of person you are in life. Going backwards is helpless but we look forward to perseverance. Mai Chisamba never looked back when she started, that is perseverance. People are learning from your programmes. As a family we also watch your programmes,” she said.
The First Lady said she was delighted to be officiating at the celebration and what was more integral and befitting was the fact that people were gathered to celebrate milestone achievements by a woman, a lady of valour in the information and communication fraternity.
“The Second Republic registered significant strides in empowering women thereby achieving gender-equality and equity. This was done through availing a basket of opportunities locally and globally. I am glad that Dr Rebecca Chisamba continues to harness opportunities in the arts and culture industry. Previously, few women participated in decision-making especially in this industry that was dominated by men,” she said.
The First Lady said when she got Dr Chisamba’s invitation, she could not help, but reminisce with nostalgia, her journey to stardom and efforts to restore the country’s cultural norms and values.
She said she vividly recalled the time Amai Chisamba was at ZBC, and assisted her with venues for the much-needed recordings.
“I proudly offered you the Ambassador Hotel, Redcliff Hotel and Sherwood Farm as venues. I even proffered my modest vehicle then for the transportation of yourself and crew.
“That time I had no dreams of ever becoming the First Lady of this great nation, but I was sure of the fact that as women in general we must be there for each other. Having travelled your 36-year-old media journey, we now meet to celebrate your sterling gains which linger longer in the multitude of your followers’ minds,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa described Dr Chisamba’s 35 accolades as no mean achievement.
She said the country’s traditional values were wholesome and needed to be preserved at all costs.
“Hatidonhedzi chiri muhapwa nekuda kuombera. Uyevo anozunza mutondo ndiye anononga mandere. Tinoziva Dr Rebecca Chisamba vachizunza mutondo wetsika nemagariro edu kuti ugaro hwedo huve nerudekaro. Taramba kushungurudzana nemhirizhonga mudzimba,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa urged youths to leave drugs and warned parents against marrying off their children at tender ages and emboldened Dr Chisamba to keep on her sterling work.
“Guyo rinokuya rinoonekwa nemhanza. Shambakodzi inovira ndeinokuchidzirwa. Ndinokutendai mose mauya kukuchidzira iyi shambakodzi yeuyavayava hwa Dr Amai Chisamba. Nekufamba kwemwaka ndinotarisira kuti tichazounganazve tichibikisa Amai Chisamba Foundation. Izvi zvinogoneka chete kana tikabatana navo pamwe nemuono wavo wekuodzeka tsika nemagariro edu,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa spoke about her Angel of Hope Foundation which resonates with various efforts at the renaissance, promotion and preservation of progressive cultures and utilisation of local languages.
“The Angel of Hope Foundation exists to support the most vulnerable in society through providing access to health care, social services, education and economic empowerment initiatives,” she said.
She said Dr Chisamba had carved a legacy in the information and broadcasting industry locally and globally, describing her as an epitome of parenthood and a beacon of information communication.
“Allow me to enjoin all and sundry to support Dr Chisamba towards the establishment of a Dr Rebecca Chisamba Linguistics Academy. This will fossilise her legacy into a sustainable fortress for posterity,” she said.
Dr Chisamba was grateful for the honour and thanked Dr Mnangagwa for shaping her career through her assistance.
“I was a teacher but when I went to the broadcasting station, I was given the mandate to promote 13 local languages and promote good morals. I wasn’t thinking well and thought I had been slighted and went to my late brother and told him that I no longer wanted television nor the radio. He asked why and I told him I had been made to do Shona programmes,” she said.
“How could I spend 30 minutes or an hour without using an English word. My sister-in-law was then ordered by my brother to teach me Shona. I, therefore, thank you for teaching me and now I speak better Shona than you. When I went to ZBC, on my path God put in some people who assisted me though I can’t mention them all in this short space of time.
“I did programmes some for morning broadcasting. I discovered that we could take the programme to the people and there is a woman who was there for me, who helped me. I went around looking for venues to no avail.
“This other day, I was walking around and decided to approach authorities at Ambassador hotel. I went straight to the reception where I was told to wait for someone who could assist me. She was called and when she saw me she applauded me for the good work I was doing. After telling her my story vakabva vati nzvimbo yekuitira matoiwana pano. I was so happy.
“However, I had another request, I asked if she knew of any other places especially on the outskirts and farming communities where I could get venues. Again she was quick to assist and said she would help me to do the scouting. She availed her vehicle a Jeep and took us around for free. The person is here and it is the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa. She really was instrumental in my journey.”
She encouraged people to be proud of their culture and languages.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Media, Information and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, Dr Rebecca Chisamba and her husband Mr Chisamba and other guests dance during Dr Chisamba’s 36th Anniversary dinner celebration in Harare.
“Ndudzi dzedu dzinofa if we are not proud of them. What about our local languages, why should we shun them? Ngatisadade nekusagona mitauro yedu. You will hear someone saying I cannot speak Shona, but when you ask her name unonzwa achiti anonzi Nzverai Dzvatsvatsva, let us teach our children to embrace our culture. I am not saying one must not speak Shona, all I am saying is let us be proud of our culture and languages,” she said.
Dr Chisamba’s husband, Arnold, said he was spellbound by his spouse’s initiatives.
“Her work towards celebration of local languages and preservation of cultural heritage in Zimbabweans is unrivalled. The support we have received from Government, corporates and Zimbabweans both home and abroad is overwhelming.
“It is proof of the love people have for Amai Chisamba as a brand and as an influential woman in our country. I am extremely grateful for tonight’s attendance of the many distinguished guests who have taken time from their busy schedules to help us celebrate this occasion,” he said.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa and captains of industry attended the celebrations.
Minister Mutsvangwa said she was happy to celebrate a great communicator and a beacon of excellence in languages.
“When the Constitution of Zimbabwe was made, it gave equal weight to all the languages, 16 of them. In the radios and newspapers, we are using all languages because they are important. When the Second Republic came in, President Mnangagwa said he wanted all languages to be used equally.
“You saw us licencing community radios and looking for all marginalised communities so that people use their mother tongues; that makes us treasure our languages, which are important. The work you are doing is great,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Dr Chisamba had done Zimbabwe proud and praised the First Lady for spending time with Dr Chisamba.
“You are truly a household name Amai Chisamba and each time I talk about Amai Chisamba, it reminds me of my own mother whom I lost 21 years ago,” she said.
Entertainment was provided by Mbeu and the Mhodzi Tribe.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter