PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai flew into a storm yesterday over his private life, as he returned from the United States, defiantly insinuating that his planned wedding will go ahead at the weekend.
REPORT BY OUR STAFF MDC-T organising secretary, Nelson Chamisa asked the Premier if those that had gathered for a party rally to launch “Yes” campaign on the draft constitution could start the wedding procession, since the nuptials were close.
A buoyant Tsvangirai, after his address, said he would meet the procession at the wedding.
“To that one who asked if they could start the procession, all I can say is we will meet there (at the wedding),” he said, before leading party supporters into song, as they all chanted “Tono sangana ikoko” (We will meet there).
Tsvangirai’s private life was once again been thrust into the eye of a publicity storm, after ex-lover Lorcadia Karimatsenga Tembo, sought a High Court order to have the premier’s planned weekend wedding stopped.
Tembo, who still claims to be married to Tsvangirai, says if the Premier’s wedding to Elizabeth Macheka goes ahead, she would lose out as the new marriage will take precedence over her traditional one.
Tembo, instead says as the first wife, she has no objection to Tsvangirai marrying a second wife, as long as it is done under customary law.
“I have no objection to him being married in terms of the African Customary Law as the second respondent is his second wife,” she said in court papers. “That I am prepared to live with and to condone, but I am not prepared to allow my husband to marry the second respondent in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11 and thereby rendering my marriage to him, which still subsists, void.”
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But Tsvangirai’s aides have dismissed Tembo’s appeal to have the wedding stopped as a Zanu PF ploy to discredit the Prime Minister.
Tsvangirai’s spokesperson, Luke Tamborinyoka last week said the court action was part of two elaborate and concurrent intelligence plots, dubbed Operation Blackhawk and Operation Spider web, meant to undermine the Premier.
MDC-T spokesman, Douglas Mwonzora referred questions to Ian Makone, who declined to comment, saying only Tamborinyoka could speak on the matter.
Tamborinyoka was said to be on his way to Zimbabwe, after he missed his flight on Friday. He, therefore, could not be reached for comment.
But Zanu PF spokesman, Rugare Gumbo said they had nothing to do with Tsvangirai’s woes.
“Do you think we could be so foolish as to do that? We cannot waste our time disturbing his marriage,” he said. “That is a private thing.”
The MDC-T leader reportedly paid lobola for Tembo last November, but 12 days later announced that his marriage had been hijacked by shadowy characters and had been cancelled.
Tsvangirai’s supporters allege Tembo was part of a ploy by state security agents and Zanu PF.
