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Tendai Rupapa in KWEKWE
YOUNG couples must shun drugs, gender-based violence (GBV) and promiscuity, but combine forces to climb the ladder of success for the benefit of their families and the nation.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa made these remarks during the graduation of hundreds of couples who completed life-transforming courses in carpentry, farming, dressmaking, cosmetology, baking, detegernt making, petroleum jelly making, cellphone and computer repairs, courtesy of her Angel of Hope Foundation.
The programme, which is the brainchild of Dr Mnangagwa and is being taken to all the provinces countrywide, seeks to curb idleness, fight drug abuse, curb divorce and mold strong marital unions.
It came into existence following a realisation by the First Lady that most young couple’s marriages were collapsing.
This also explains why the First Lady usually holds interactive sessions with the couples, allowing herself to get to the root of the challenges they are facing and come up with perfect solutions to them.
Amai Mnangagwa and experts in various fields first engaged women separately with men meeting on their own before the mother of the nation later addressed a combined gathering.
She hammered on the need for peace, love and harmony at all times.
“I am glad to meet you as we discuss issues that build us as women. I have come to speak with you girls and women to hear where you are heading, to build you and give you confidence so that you may stand before other women. I have come to remove the bad name tags you have and make new creations and better mothers.
“I brought courses that you accessed free of charge and to ensure you start your own businesses. We have come to address how a dignified woman walks, her expected manners and conduct.
“The way a married woman dresses must be dignified. Why do we hate one another and nurse grudges as women? Why not forgive one another and say “hazvinei” (it doesn’t matter) because this lowers tempers and makes you forgive rather than saying “handinzwaro” (I cant be treated that way).”
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over a certificate to one of the beneficiaries of her skills development programme aimed at empowering newly married couples in Kwekwe.
Once you say that, then there is no forgiveness. Today, I have come to talk to every woman without being selective. We all want development through our projects. Would you not be pleased to be referred to by your line of business in the community? Where you will be known as Mai Makeke (baker) or Mai Mazai (egg seller) and not be known for gossip. I urge every woman to rise and we face one direction as women standing in our places. I do not choose one’s political affiliation or religious affinity. I say no to women who are always begging. Arise as women of Zimbabwe and work to uplift your families, communities and the nation.
“In every country there is a space for women. As Zimbabwean women are we closing the vacuum? Let us occupy our space, our place is there,” she said.
Evangelist Nelly Gwatidzo weighed in with lessons on what it means to be a woman, the need for women to arise, grooming and etiquette.
“Do we know what it means to be a woman? A woman is a peacemaker not to be known for being violent. Our mother is saying cast away that bad tag and be known for hard work. A woman is a teacher who directs her family especially children on the correct path. On bathing, hatisikuwanza yekumwa here madzimai. Some say it is in the cold season but our mother is saying bath before meeting people selling your products, be smart, presentable and approachable. After knowing your roles as a woman, Amai is saying bath then arise and work. The First Lady has come with projects and wants us to work and be financially independent. For you to be able to rise, first have self-confidence and do not let others pull you down. Let us work hard and make our mother proud because she wants all her children to be empowered. We have a wonderful mother who is not selective who loves us all and has a showel that fits all her children,” she said.
Mrs Jane Mutatu chronicled how she benefitted from the First Lady’s Agric4she programme.
She said she received inputs from the First Lady last year including chickens and goats to start livestock production and is now a master farmer. She encouraged other women to embrace fully the projects.
She also shared with the gathering information regarding challenges in marriages.
“Problems largely start between a mother-in –law and daughter-in-law with one part saying he is my son and the other saying he is my husband. You see a woman being peeved on seeing her mother-in-law yet she gave birth to her husband. Maybe the money with which your lobola was paid was from doilies sold by his mother so that he may get a helper. Some are married today and within a week they start making witchcraft accusations against their in-laws. If that is true, why then did she not bewitch her son? To mothers’-n-law, the daughter-in-law is your child as well so please treat her well and stay in peace. Let us accept that our sons are now married and give varoora vedu their positions,” she said.
Gogo Esther Ziwenga spoke about the cultural expectations of a wife.
“The way a person walks and speaks shows whether or not they were raised properly and well-mannered. Let us wear dignified clothes and not wear miniskirts that are embarrassing when you kneel to give your father-in-law food. Let us return to our tradition and follow the proper channels. Our mother is encouraging us to consume healthy food so as mothers we must cook traditional dishes that are nourishing and return to our culture,” she said to deafening applause.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa leads women in handing over food hampers, toiletries among other things to traditional chiefs from Malawi and local chiefs during an interactive session with young couples in Kwekwe.
Women’s Bank chief executive officer Dr Mandas Marikanda implored women to embrace the courses they were being offered and approach her financial institution for funding to start their various economically beneficial projects.
“Our mother has given us a hoe therefore, let us all rush to the fields and farm. As the Women’s Bank we are here for you. You were given the fishing rod so come to get worms from Women’s Bank and get down to business. Our mother wants you to utilise all you learnt in the short courses and put them into practice. The bank is waiting for you so that we give you project ideas and get loans. This will help you add to what you already have,” she said.
In wrapping up women’s presentations, the First Lady expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn and discuss empowerment.
“I am happy we have taught one another a lot. It is now up to you to correct where you were falling short, putting into consideration the lessons that were here. In terms of empowerment, did you participate in Agric4She projects? Whether you are in urban or rural areas, I am saying come and collect inputs. Even the elderly if you have fields close by, come so that we work together. Our granaries are full to the brim with the high yields we attained last season and we are preparing for the next faming season with Pfumvudza. I have come to add to what you already have. As women we are hard workers so join others and work in groups. We refuse to pull one another down and work in peace and harmony,” she said.
In their discussions, men also reinforced the need to stay in love and work hard.
“There is nothing that God frown upon worse than domestic violence and being unproductive. If we are not clever enough and throw away our culture we sink to the lows. We should love our spouses and work together for the good of our families,” said one man at the male session.
In his remarks, Chief Gwesela said the art of mixing good manners and culture was good.
“We are black people and Zimbabweans, that blackness must never come out of us. our culture and way of life must never elude us. The most dangerous thing is that which kills, but one that makes the family forge ahead is welcome. We are supposed to follow the traditional norms and values. As Zimbabweans we must follow our ancestral path. Everyone comes from somewhere. All our children must return to our culture of yesteryear so that our country moves forward. The First Lady wants families to live in peace and harmony for the good of the nation. If we follow our culture and tradition, everything else will fall into place,” he said.
Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima praised the First Lady for her well thoughtout programme.
“We are happy with Amai’s programme which has brought us together as a family. This programme has paved the way for peaceful living in the homes and even divorce cases will decline because of teachings derived from this programme. People of our ages are no longer young couples but we also learnt a lot that we shall also carry to our homes. As Midlands Province, we thank you Amai for your endless love and your various empowerment initiatives,” he said.
Evangelist Gwatidzo later addressed the combined session where she examined issues and challenges affecting couples in marriages like drug abuse, domestic violence, lack of communication and the need to practise good hygiene.
Officers from the Police Drugs and Narcotics team made a presentation on the effects of drug and substance abuse.
A detective from the Criminal Investigation Drugs and Narcotics Department explains how crystal meth is being manufactured and consumed during an interactive session of young couples with First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa in Kwekwe.
In her address to the gathering, Dr Mnangagwa said she had visited Kwekwe as a sister-in-law, an aunt, a grandmother and as a mother focusing on young couples.
“This is not my first time here as I have been coming with different programmes but today I am focusing on young couples because their unions are collapsing. So widespread is domestic violence that it prompted me to establish a call centre- 575 in my office which I answer when present teaching and advising one another. I have come to end gender-based violence through communicating with vechidiki varimuwanano. I have brought courses for both men and women so that you combine forces and work together without time for violence. We want people to work and be empowered because those who are lazy pull others down. We say no to promiscuity which spawns diseases. Work hard and do away with things that are not productive, unite and work in groups to achieve more. But my daughter, when you left your home to stay with Francis, did you go with good manners. When married mwanangu semuroora unite the people and do not be divisive. Let the husband rush to Empower Bank and the wife runs to Women’s Bank and get loans to transform your business. But my son why are you always intoxicated, what should we do with this? Drugs have killed many people and are helpless,” she said.
Dr Mnangagwa spelt out the need for people to shun violence at all costs in the forthcoming harmonised elections, saying people must observe peace at all times starting from homes and be united for the development of the nation.
She humbly asked the people to vote President ED Mnangagwa and Zanu PF in peace.
The mother of the nation brought something for everyone, with hundreds of expecting mothers receiving baby preparation kits and baby blankets while hundreds of school girls got reusable sanitary pads.
The elderly were given food hampers, toiletries and blankets with traditional chiefs also receiving food and toiletry hampers.
In addition she donated maize-meal, rice, sugar beans, cooking oil and flour to all those who were gathered.
Dr Mnangagwa donated maize meal, instant porridge and noodles to schools for the feeding programme.
Aspiring Zanu PF member of Parliament for Kwekwe Central Cde Energy Ncube praised the mother of the nation for her interventions.
“We thank you for the work you have done here in Kwekwe and the whole country. Our marriages will stand firm as we young couples have learnt, it was just a case of hiring and firing in the homes. I have also learnt because the uncles have disappeared but our First Lady is our mother, an aunt and grandmother. We are thankful to our mother for rolling out the programme because couples were taught many courses. They have been taught to bake cakes and have been taught sewing so there is no woman who just sits idly. I thank you vastly for the programme because you have given us an inheritance and knowledge to be able to look after ourselves and our families in the future. Our mother has brought back our culture, our traditional way of life. The woman now appreciates that the man is the head of the family. This was no longer the case as couples jostled for power in the home. We thank you because we are now aging with our wives. There are great works that you do which we are witnessing time and again. You are doing a lot through your Angel of Hope Foundation to assist everyone including those living with disabilities whom you are giving wheelchairs, food and healthcare,” he said to applause.
Mr Caleb Tumbare thanked the First Lady for the skills development programme.
“This programme shows that our mother is in touch with reality on the ground. People are divorcing at an alarming rate because of idleness and laziness. The moment we cure these we are good to go. We thank Dr Mnangagwa for her love and wish she continues rolling out such progress programmes for the nation,” he said.
Similar words were echoed by Susan Varila who said she had been touched by the First Lady’s tireless efforts to improve the welfare of the people.
“Our mother is doing everything in her might to improve the welfare of the people. She is coming in with tangible solutions to the people’s daily struggles and for that we are truly thankful to the mother of the nation. Her programme also molds families,” she said.
Ten traditional chiefs from Malawi were in attendence and followed proceedings while seated with local chiefs. Amai Mnangagwa respects African traditional norms and values so much that she accorded them the same respect and also gave them food hampers and toiletries.
Online Reporter