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Tendai Rupapa in CHIPINGE
THE curtain is slowly coming down on First Lady’s Dzidziso muGota/Nhanga/Ixiba yevachirikuyaruka programme which has taken her to nine of the country’s 10 provinces promoting the revival of the country’s cultural norms and values.
This, however, does not spell the demise of the programme as chiefs, headmen, their spouses and elders across the country’s communities will carry it forward to ensure children grow up morally upright.
The teachings came at a time when young boys and girls countrywide were hogging the limelight for the wrong reasons like prostitution, teen pregnancies, drug and alcohol abuse.
So embarrassing were the things being done by children that barely a week passes without reading reports or seeing pictures of children on social media performing lewd acts including sex tapes.
All this misbehaviour was blamed on Western influences which resulted in children viewing local culture as inferior. Matters also took a head after the Covid-19-induced lockdown period when many girls failed to return to school after falling pregnant, prompting the First Lady to intervene.
During yesterday’s programme at Mt Selinda Secondary School, children and elders concurred that the First Lady’s programme could not have come at any better time.
One of the participants, Tapiwa Bulla (15) said the First Lady’s programme was both educative and fulfilling.
“I am truly thankful for the programme that is taking place today.
“It makes us the younger generation remember our culture of old. It reminds us not to take alcohol and be respectful. In the olden days the young were not allowed to take alcohol, but this was happening nowadays. I am truly thankful for the programme,” he said.
A fellow pupil, Munyaradzi Mhofu, could not hide his joy for being remembered by the First Lady and promised to change as youths.
“I am thankful to the First Lady who saw it fit to come here and remind us of our cultural norms and values. We were getting lost, taking alcohol and wearing unfastened trousers and even up to four trousers at once. I thank her for reminding us about our tradition,” he said.
Chiefs wives who were part of the programme were delighted and said the First Lady had shown the way and it was now up to communities to carry her vision forward.
Mrs Faith Samhutsa, the wife to chief Mutema of Chipinge said; “Amai is saying let’s raise our children the proper way. When they start their menstrual periods, they start longing for men. During this time we must check our children so that they know that if they misbehave, they will be caught.
“Children were doing as they please and they were in multiple love relationships which resulted in many of them falling pregnant before time is ripe. Children need to sit down with their elders and be taught. The First Lady has reminded us that if we do not educate our children, they misbehave.
“We are also grateful to the First Lady who came to teach us the importance of our traditional foods coupled with the traditional norms and values. Mt Selinda is very far, but Amai came nevertheless because her vision is to safeguard the future of our children,” she said.
Village head Mr Paul Barauta was equally ecstatic and promised to carry forward the First Lady’s vision.
“I thank the First Lady who has come to remind us of our culture that was getting lost. In the olden days we would be gathered by elders at the dare where we were imparted with wisdom.
“We in turn would also advise our young ones and these values were now being lost and we thank her for that. Even courtship was being done the wrong way, without informing elders like aunts resulting in them eloping at tender ages. In the olden days you would spend over three months wooing a girl, but nowadays it’s done very fast on WhatsApp. These are the things we need to prevent with the help of the First Lady,” he said.
Mr Fungai Mukonyora (99) who is Chief Chipunza of Rusape said self-respect was the key to longevity.
“I fought in many wars and was never involved with women. My friends who were promiscuous died a long time ago. I am not pleased by today’s youths who are misbehaving in so many ways. This programme is great and we pray that Amai continues on that trajectory. When we go back home, we will encourage youths to follow the programme that she brought,” he said.
Chief Chipunza also talked about the importance of consuming our indigenous foods which he said have kept him this far and strong.
In the nhanga, girls were taught among other issues menstrual hygiene and highlighted to the First Lady that pads were beyond their reach.
In turn, the mother of the nation informed them that the Government was now providing sanitary wear and soap in schools.
She also educated them on reusable pads that she is sewing through her Angel of Hope Foundation and said she would provide the participants with sewing machines, material and other accessories and train them so that they start sewing the pads for themselves and other members of the community.
To motivate the children from vulnerable families to shun peer pressure which made young girls seek “blessers” to access niceties, the First Lady gave a personal account of how she was raised in a humble family and would attend school barefooted, but she never looked back and soldiered on to complete her studies.
She said children must treasure education and strive to pass without focusing on misbehaviour which ruined their lives and forced them to drop out of school after falling pregnant.
Amai Mnangagwa urged parents to stand strong and teach their children to grow on the right path.
“Our children have become wayward. As mothers and fathers let us have teachings that make our children grow on the correct path. Our children have been destroyed by drugs as we watch helplessly. We heard there is a drug called mutoriro which is destroying children. Hanzi mwana anopedza week rese ‘akasticker’ as the youths call it. Shuwa totarisa vana vedu vachiparara here madzimai?”
“I am saying as parents lets sit down and counsel our children before the country is ruined before our eyes. At times the whole household including the mother will be taking alcohol excessively and what do the children learn from this? Some parents send children to do bad things or even some elderly men dating a schoolgirl,” she said.
Amai Mnangagwa noted with concern rising cases of teen pregnancies in the area.
“On my way here I saw many young pregnant girls along the way and that pained me. There were also young girls carrying their own children, shuwa mwana kuitawo mwana wake. It takes a whole village to raise a child therefore let us help each other in counselling and moulding the children who are our future Presidents, First Ladies and Ministers,” she said.
Deputy Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Tino Machakaire said he was fully behind the First Lady’s initiative which seeks to groom youths into responsible citizens also confirming that youths were getting wasted by drugs.
“We may be grown up, but ignorant of our culture. There are some people who are over 30 years and are family men, but they are moving about with unfastened and dropped trousers. This means they cannot uplift their children and even their spouses when they cannot lift their trousers,” he said drawing laughter from the crowd.
Cde Machakaire through his ministry promised to rally behind the First Lady’s Programme which seeks to restore order in communities.
“Nowadays there is what is called mutoriro and a cough mixture which intoxicates. Children are choosing to steal to access those drugs but through your teachings the drug challenge will decline. Even when you conclude this programme Amai, help us as your children and gather us as youths to inform us that drugs are not good for young people. Drinking beer at tender ages is not good also. Rushing to fatherhood or motherhood before the time is ripe affects our future. The vision you have Amai comes from God so we want to thank you and encourage you not to get tired. As you see us here, we represent constituencies but at times we get tired to cover them but you Amai you represent the whole country and you never get tired,” he said.
As girls were in the nhanga with chiefs wives, elders from the community and the First Lady, boys too were taken through life lessons in the Gota by chiefs, headmen and elders.
The Chiefs, their wives and elders who were teaching the children were given food hampers while children who participated and are now ambassadors of the programme were given school bags, stationery and food hampers.
Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Nokuthula Matsikenyere and Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Raymore Machingura attended the event.
Also present were Chief Makumbe of Buhera, Chief Mutema of Chipinge, Chief Hata of Nyanga, Chief Mapungwana and Chief Chiduku of Rusape and their spouses who came to support the programme.
Online Reporter