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(NEWZIMBABWE) MPs joke about Tsvangirai marriage

MPs joke about Tsvangirai marriage
23/11/2011 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

MORGAN Tsvangirai skipped Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, avoiding a swelling media scrum as confusion reigned over his reported marriage to his pregnant lover, Locadia Karimatsenga Tembo.

Tembo’s family says Tsvangirai paid US$36,000 lobola during a private traditional ceremony in Mazowe on Monday, and also requested a white wedding.
But the Prime Minister’s aides have dug in and refused to discuss the affair – only repeating that Tsvangirai is not married.

In off-the-record briefings, some of Tsvangirai’s friends say he only paid “damages” – compensation usually paid to the family of a woman pregnant with a first child out of wedlock. Tembo, a wealthy 39-year-old business executive, has a 16-year-old son. She is expecting twins from her latest pregnancy.

Tsvangirai had been expected to make his first public appearance since his reported marriage, but he delegated Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to answer MPs’ questions on Wednesday.

But despite boycotting expectant MPs, Tsvangirai could not stop his marriage coming up on the floor of the House after Simon Khaya-Moyo (Zanu PF) brought up the issue in the Senate.

The Zanu PF chairman had stood up to make a statement about a newspaper report claiming that he had incited supporters to engage in violence. And just before he sat down, Khaya-Moyo said he wished to “take the opportunity to congratulate the Prime Minister on his marriage”.

His comments prompted an outbreak of laughter, desk thumping, paper waving and even polite outrage from some MDC Senators who yelled “it’s not true, it’s not true!” at a seemingly bemused Khaya-Moyo.

Zanu PF MPs, making play of the fact that Tembo is a sister to the party's MP for Goromonzi West, Biata Beatrice Nyamupinga, sang back: "Tauya naye muroora [We have brought the bride]."

There will be no hiding place for Tsvangirai though on Thursday as Finance Minister Tendai Biti presents the 2012 national budget in Parliament. President Robert Mugabe will also be in attendance.

Labels: MDC, MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, MPs, ZANU-PF

posted by MrK @ 6:58 AM