JENNIFER DUBE PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has been choosing his own lovers without any form of influence, Home Affairs co-minister Theresa Makone said recently. There have been widespread allegations that the Makone family was actively involved in handpicking women for the MDC-T president and also influencing some of his party decisions. Makone, who made it clear that she does not take kindly to suggestions that she and her husband Ian influenced Tsvangirai’s choice of women, said such matters were of a personal nature and are rarely shared. “… If he is going to have a love life, that is his personal area, and it is ridiculous and stupid for someone to suggest that Theresa or Ian can actually cause him (Tsvangirai) to fall in or out of love with anyone,” said Makone. “But what we can do as friends, and as well-meaning friends, is to give him what we think of what he does, and what effect it has, mostly because he is a national leader and it is entirely up to him to take it or disregard it.” The allegation that the Makones were Tsvangirai’s matchmakers came to its height during the PM’s marriage saga involving businesswoman Lorcadia Karimatsenga Tembo, a union which fizzled out soon after the traditional rites. The Makones were said to be close family friends to the Tembos. Makone dismissed the suggestions as absurd, saying they created the impression that the Makones were bad people while at the same time portraying Tsvangirai as someone who could not think for himself. “I try to smile but I actually find those kinds of comments irritating to put it rather mildly,” Makone said. “One, it says that the Makones are evil people. “Secondly it says that my president Tsvangirai is an idiot. I find both of these suggestions highly offensive.” Makone said the fact that Tsvangirai married Elizabeth Macheka was a good example that her family was not involved in his personal life. “I did not know her (Elizabeth) until the day I was introduced to her in Buhera,” she said. “That was my first meeting with her. Much as I would have loved to have something to do with it, I did not. That tells you that the guy actually does his own things alone.” Tsvangirai has been linked to several women following the death of his first wife, Susan, in 2009. Although admitting that she and her husband were Tsvangirai’s personal friends, something she does not apologise for, Makone said the parties respected each other’s personal space. “There are things of a personal nature that you cannot talk to someone about,” she said. “For instance, if I was going to start having affairs, I cannot go and discuss that with him, that’s my private area and he cannot come in there.” The Makones were also accused of running the so-called “Kitchen Cabinet”, a group of individuals very close to Tsvangirai that influence him both politically and socially. The Home Affairs co-minister said allegations that they controlled Tsvangirai created a non-existent power base as they under no circumstances dictated things to their friend just like in any other normal friendship. Makone, who chairs the party’s women’s assembly, said the allegations have however failed to shake their relationship with the MDC-T boss because it was not based on material things. “One thing that I will always say is that before and after MDC-T, I do not see anything that will destroy the personal relationship that we have,” she said. “It cannot be influenced by newspapers, by radio, by television and people can scream and shout and say what they like, it really does not concern us at all.” She also dismissed that her husband Ian was earmarked as one of Tsvangirai’s running mates.
