Maravi

Maureen is now free to remarry - Levy's family

Maureen is now free to remarry - Levy's family
By Noel Sichalwe in Chibombo
Sunday September 28, 2008 [04:00]

LATE president Levy Mwanawasa's family has released former first lady Maureen to remarry or join politics after conducting a traditional cleansing ceremony yesterday. Family representatives James Likwabila and his sister Edith Likwabila said in an interview that Maureen was now a free person to do whatever she wanted.

Edith thanked the government for the manner in which it mourned late president Mwanawasa as a President of Zambia. Edith said even though president Mwanawasa was dead, they were proud of him because he was like a village headman in Lusaka following his burial at Embassy Park.

"You see after the ceremony is over, Maureen is free. Those who are saying she cannot participate in politics because of the death of her husband, they are wrong," Edith said. "We have cleared her. She is cleared. She must continue, she is a leader, she must participate, she must speak out.

In her own organisation MMCI Maureen Mwanawasa Community Initiative, Maureen has told the women, you are only a widow maybe for two weeks. You must start working because if you don't work, who is going to feed the children? Who is going to prepare everything for the family?

"Those people who are saying Maureen should not participate, they are not Mwanawasas. The Mwanawasas, we are here, we have cleared her. We don't want to hear this anymore because we are in charge of the funeral. When we say she is cleared, she is cleared, everything traditional is over."

Edith, who is the late president’s cousin, said gone were the days when people used to keep funerals for a long time.
However, she said although Maureen was free to remarry there could be a problem with the children.

She said the next husband might not want to look after the children and that was why some women did not want to remarry.
"Men can remarry but women, it is difficult," she said. "Like myself here, I am a widow since 1975 when I lost my husband in a road accident in Lusaka. I haven't remarried. I have to look after my children. So equally Maureen is going to do the same because her children will be like slaves to that man. Since she is a hard worker, I don't think she can think of another man. A second marriage is very dangerous."

Edith has also suggested that the government should keep some clothes that president Mwanawasa wore such as military uniforms and other attire in the museum to serve as history to Zambia's children.

James, who is also headman for Mwanawasa village, said the cleansing ceremony was meant to release Maureen to conduct her business freely following the death of her husband. He said this followed the end of the period of national mourning.

The cleansing ceremony, which will run from September 26 to 30, is being attended by close family members and local people from Mukobola and Mwanawasa villages and the surrounding areas.
The ceremony is characterised by traditional music and dances that will be performed overnight.

The ceremony is being conducted in Mukobola village in Chibombo district about 40 kilometres from Kabwe town.

Labels: MAUREEN

posted by MrK @ 6:42 AM