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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
NOTHING beats the feeling of walking down the aisle in the presence of multitudes, including being watched by the First Lady as you bid farewell to bachelorhood and spinsterhood.
Such should have been the feeling between Sarah Dumba and McDonald Simenti of Kanyemba who exchanged marriage vows before Father Majinga of St Gabriel Roman Catholic Church in Kanyemba.
The red and white themed wedding was witnessed by hundreds of people, including the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and partners of her Angel of Hope Foundation from the United States.
The wedding could not have come at any better time as it exemplified teachings from Dr Mnangagwa’s Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme which emphasise on the importance of youths respecting cultural norms and values and entering the marriage institution at the appropriate age.
This comes at a time when most youths were involved in drug abuse, teen pregnancies and early marriages owing largely to lack of self-control, Western influences and lack of parental guidance, among a host of other contributory factors.
Overjoyed by the respectable outcome of her teachings, the First Lady showered the newly-weds with money, cakes, sets of pots and plates, and cases of drinks and water.
Kanyemba falls under the heart of Mashonaland Central Province in Mbire District which forms part of wildlife corridors connecting Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The First Lady has been spearheading the transformation of this previously marginalised community.
When the mother of the nation first engaged them, they were closed and did not interact freely with others such that they would run away on seeing strangers.
They were reluctant to interact with people outside their culture.
They were detached from the rest of Zimbabwe.
The Doma community in Kanyemba used to build their huts on tree-tops or on elevated single-roomed mud-and pole, grass thatched huts.
Said Fr Majinga: “These children have decided to enter holy matrimony and did not decide to do it on their own. This is marvellous because some children are not walking in the correct path, they do not value their bodies which are the temple of the Lord. I am glad they have come to be united before us as we bear witness to this. I hope other youngsters have drawn positive lessons from this event.”
The groom (28) was on cloud nine because of what the First Lady had done on his special day.
He thanked the mother of the nation for her teachings which he said were beneficial.
“I am glad to have been blessed by the First Lady’s presence at my wedding. It was something I never expected that she would accept our invitation and attend the wedding. This is a remote setting but she has committed to attend our wedding as she drives her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme which encourages youngsters to observe chastity until they wed.
“I am thankful for our mother’s teachings and urge her to continue encouraging the whole country so that our norms and values continue being observed and we return to the ways of old. I am thankful. Other youths are abusing drugs and alcohol but I chose the sober path and followed Amai’s teachings,” he said with a broad smile.
The bride, Sarah (22) said the First Lady and her team had given her a surprise she did not expect.
“I was overjoyed by the First Lady’s presence at our wedding. Amai, the First Lady has always been warning us against falling pregnant and eloping. Our wedding has been a great lesson to other youths especially here in Kanyemba where cases of child marriages and dropping out of school are high.
“I encourage other youths to first complete their studies before consummating marriages. Marriage should come after education as we were told by the First Lady. I completed my Advanced Level and proceeded to college. Today we have made our parents and our community proud,” she said while beaming with pride.
The bride’s mother, Mrs Agnes Chaguruka was ecstatic about what her daughter had done for her.
“I am very happy about what my daughter has done for me today and for the family. I have four children and Sarah is my eldest child. This event has come to fruition because of the First Lady who would regularly come to Kanyemba with her teachings for our benefit from the past to the present day.
“The way she taught the girls was fully grasped and I am happy my daughter has wedded. Amai would teach them good morals and to follow through her teachings. My daughter passed her Advanced Level and is now in college training as a teacher.
“The whole community is happy and people have travelled from far away villages to witness their union. We also want to thank the First Lady for the presents she gave to the newly-weds. We are truly grateful,” she said.
Mrs Tracy Kadziyanike, the groom’s mother said she was happy for her son who had embraced the First Lady’s teachings, culminating in the wedding.
“I am happy for my son who took heed of the First Lady’s wise counsel. My son reached Form Six and went to college, today he has found a life partner. I am grateful for the life lessons brought by the First Lady to Kanyemba and the whole country to ensure children preserve themselves as they grow up and do not impregnate one another before the time is right.
“We hope this wedding will continue encouraging other youths to follow the path followed by their peers. In the past children here were lost, but now they are learning a lot as they are now going to school and are wedding through the tireless efforts of the First Lady who is teaching them the path to follow.
“Children would impregnate one another without getting married and I hope children will copy McDonald and Sarah’s great example,” she said.
Equally delighted was Chief Enoch Chapoto who congratulated the newly-weds.
He said in his area of jurisdiction white weddings were rare but because of the First Lady’s visits to Kanyemba, her teachings and efforts to introduce them to modern life, they were now embracing many new things.
“We had a wedding celebration and I congratulate the newly-weds. On top of the rest, I want to thank Dr Mnangagwa for coming to this place which is far away from Harare and was lagging behind in most aspects.
“Amai witnessed the fruits of the work that she is doing. We did not know much about weddings in this community, they were very few, but the way Amai frequents this area has brought us to this point.
“This is why you see that the area is now developing and we are also having colourful weddings like this. I also wish to thank our First Lady for attending this wedding and leaving many gifts. The greatest gift she has left us are the teachings through her Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba.
“A child with morals and a child who is organised is the one who weds. For you to wed, you would have come from an organised home that is well-taught. We shall continue with the teachings and I thank the First Lady endlessly for what has happened here as we hope to see more weddings in the future,” he said.
Dr Mnangagwa is a stickler of principle who is eager to see families thrive hence her countless programmes like Nharirire Yemusha, Male engagement and Gota Nhanga/Ixhiba bent on keeping the family unit intact.
Her attendance at the wedding in Kanyemba showed her humility and unconditional love for all.
Online Reporter