President pities Tsvangirai

Tendai Mugabe Harare Bureau—
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday said he feels sorry for former Prime Minister and MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai who is now a victim of nasty flirtations that have left his image battered as a national leader. The former PM in the inclusive government hooked up with different women after the death of his wife Susan in 2008 taking them to expensive resorts around the world.

Among them were Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo whom he paid a staggering $300, 000 in damages, Loretta Nyathi with whom he fathered a son and Nosipho Shulubane whom he promised marriage but that did not materialise.

Tsvangirai later settled for Elizabeth Macheka who once threatened to walk out on him claiming that he had a serious problem of a health nature.
Addressing mourners gathered at the National Heroes Acre for the burial of the late National Hero, Major General Eliah Bandama, President Mugabe urged people to be upright and exhibit high levels of good morals.

In apparent reference to Tsvangirai, President Mugabe said he felt sorry for his “friend” who was now being haunted by his dirty love life.
He said his “friend” was always in the media for the wrong reasons especially in issues involving women.

The President lightened the sombre mood at the burial site drawing laughter from mourners when he said: “… aah ndange ndotaura so uyu ndiye anongonyorwa mumapepa bhururu wangu,” he said.

“Vamwe tave kutomunzwirawo tsitsi kuti aiwa zvanyanya.
“Watora uyu musikana wasiya, woenda pane uyo, woenda pane uyo. You have not taught yourself discipline.
“ Havapere vakanaka, vazhinji ukangotarisa vese vese. Just settle on one and that’s it. So have some discipline”

President Mugabe said there was nothing wrong if one opts for a polygamous marriage as long as you can sustain it.
He, however, warned that such marriages were difficult to manage.

“You want polygamy? Kana uchida vetsika wozvipira kuti haa ini ndinobva kune vetsika baba vangu vaive nemadzimai matatu saka ndinoda kutevera baba vangu, barika.

“Woita barika rakanaka. Asi woziva kuti ipapo moto wauri kutanga. Havambofa vakanzwanana. One is enough because the one is a stranger to you, she does not think like you, you get married to her, you want her to think as you think, and she wants you to think as she thinks, so you get a compromise. You get to know each other and you get to reconcile with each other. Now kana vari vaviri, vatatu unozvikwanisa iwe.”

President Mugabe described Cde Bandama as a disciplined cadre who served his country with great passion and commitment.
Such people, President Mugabe said, were the ones who deserved to be buried at the national shrine.

He said national hero status was conferred only on people who have distinguished themselves in life and made bitter sacrifices to liberate the country.

President Mugabe said those who have done nothing for the country’s liberation struggle should not dream of being buried at the National Heroes Acre.
“Do not just have a wish please…,” he said.

“Kuti ndinodawo kuenda kugomo iroro nekuti gomo iroro riri kukufadza. Aa ndikaenda ikoko mweya wangu ungafara. Ehe ungafara asi hapasi pako. Hauna kodzero…
“What is it that you did in life to deserve to lie here?

“So let it be known at this sacred shrine that the act of conferring hero status on men and women who rest here comes yes from the voluntary choice of commitment, hard, dangerous and uneasy life of the struggle right up to the bitter end. The road is bitter right up to the end.”
He said those who chose an easy life would be accorded the status befitting their contribution and choices.

“I want to be a CEO of a company, Mercedes Benz, a manager, ndakaitawo basa. Ndakaita company yakabatsira vanhu aiwa, wakabatsira ehe zvakanaka tinoenda newe kuchurch zvakana tichikunamatira tokuti aiwa mwana uyu tinomukudza akabatsira vanhu asi tinokuisawo kune vakadaro. Here you must have made hard and bitter sacrifices.

“To join the war is to challenge death – its a challenge you are making – dare – if you want to kill me you kill me but I have a cause to fight for. If you manage to kill me, kill me but before I kill you.”

President Mugabe took the opportunity to chide the British for their double standards which saw many people seeking asylum in London.
He said the British deliberately lied that there were no human rights in Zimbabwe to tarnish the country’s image.
Ironically, the President said, they were now returning the asylum seekers.

“Nhasi uno zvaita sei veBritain vave kuti aah vanhu venyu tave kuda kuti vadzoke tibatsirei tivape matsamba ekudzokesa. Ko makambovatora sei? Vakatorwaka vachiuya nechichemo chekuti tiri kudzvanyirirwa. Ko mave kuda kuvadzosa zvekare kuudzvanyiriri hwavaMugabe. Tiri pachokwadi. VanaBandama vakarwira chokwadi.”

President Mugabe also took a swipe on the whites who came to Africa as missionaries to colonise the continent.
He, however, said it was saddening that the country lost two national heroes in one month.
This is after the death of Cde Stanely Sakupwanya early this month.