Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s wife Elizabeth Macheka received a warm welcome when she made her maiden visit to Bulawayo as the MDC-T leader’s spouse during the party’s 13th anniversary celebrations over the weekend.
Report by Nduduzo Tshuma /Silas Nkala Macheka hogged the limelight a few weeks ago after a Harare magistrate cancelled her marriage licence with Tsvangirai following an application by the MDC-T leader’s ex-lover, Lorcadia Karimatsenga, to stop the wedding.
On Saturday, she received a standing ovation when she accompanied her husband at White City Stadium.
Even Zapu leader Dumiso Dabengwa, who gave the vote of thanks at King George VI where Macheka donated groceries and clothes worth $5 000 the previous day, had kind words for the PM’s wife.
“We are happy to receive our daughter-in-law here in Bulawayo,” he said to thunderous applause from the audience.
There were wild cheers when Macheka arrived at the school that teaches children living with disabilities.
The following day, at White City Stadium, Macheka, who was dressed in a red and cream sari with an ethnic design, won the hearts of the thousands who thronged the venue to mark the party’s 13th anniversary.
So warmly received was Macheka that the crowd protested when MDC-T national organising secretary Nelson Chamisa introduced her but indicated that she would not be made to stand and come to the podium.
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At that point, Chamisa sang: “President, majority yataura (the majority has spoken)” and invited Macheka to the podium to greet the party supporters, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
As she gracefully moved to the podium accompanied by the party’s women affairs national chairperson Theresa Makone, the MDC-T brass band played David Chifunyise’s hit wedding song Tauya Naye (Muroora Nemagumbezi) (We have brought the daughter-in-law) with the crowd singing along.
When the PM’s wife eventually got to the podium and chanted party slogans, the stadium reverberated as the crowd roared back the slogans. Tsvangirai and wife had arrived in the stadium in style with drum majorettes and the party’s brass band leading the Premier’s motorcade.
The anniversary celebrations saw various entertainment groups like Iyasa and Ndlowane Super Sounds, among other groups, entertaining the crowd.
The brass band also led in the singing of the national anthem and even when the Prime Minister unveiled a plaque with the names of fallen party activists. The event was full of symbolism, with Tsvangirai releasing 13 white pigeons to signify the number of years of the MDC-T’s existence.
There were also 13 flags representing the years since the formation of the party. Tsvangirai gave party provincial chairpersons palm trees which were a sign of love, peace and success to the nation. The trees will be planted at all the party’s provincial offices countrywide.
