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Roselyne Sachiti-Features, Health & Society Editor

There is an old woman, Gogo Rena Chizengeya, of Mukodzongi Village in Chiweshe under Chief Negomo, Mashonaland Central Province.

On December 11 last year, she turned 100, becoming the only known person in her family to do so, if the family tree they know is anything to go by. 

Her grandmother, the known oldest surviving member, died at 80. Gogo Chizengeya is witty, hardworking and particular about the way she looks and has stayed long enough to know almost everyone and everything in their area.

Driving to her home on a Saturday morning is interesting, our team is eager to meet her and learn her secrets to long life. As we debate of her possible secrets, we slowly negotiate the dusty road, crossing three small bridges, a school, clinic, some shops and waving kids.

Goats and cattle grazing in the fields seem disturbed by a sudden cloud of blinding dust left behind by our convoy of cars headed towards the old woman’s home.

As they stop grazing, the animals seem curious to know what could be so important to disturb their mid-morning snack and peace, though they also visibly welcome us.

 Crows circle in the air as if spying on us, or maybe welcoming us, or telling us not to worry as we are almost there. 

We conclude what Gogo will tell us will be interesting as we enjoy the fresh environment in Chiweshe far from the city’s hustle and bustle.

Finally arriving at her homestead, Gogo Chizengeya who has been anxiously waiting for her guests, is seated on a reed mat outside her kitchen hut.

Dressed in her Sunday best, a Calvin Klein head scarf and her favourite two piece navy blue suit which she emphasises was bought by her grandchild, Kuziva, she looks up.

Her milky watery eyes pop out above a disposable face mask. She is aware of Covid-19, a disease she knows has stopped everything, even large gatherings in the village.

One of Zimbabwe’s oldest people and a vessel of knowledge, she says she is happy to see her visitors who include Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, who is also Zanu PF legislator for Mazowe under the Proportional Representation quota, Tsitsi Gezi, who spends the afternoon with her on this day.

Cde Gezi is accompanied by members of the Zanu PF’s provincial Women’s League.

They include Cdes Chakabvepi Chinhema; Tracy Mudimu; Rosemary Hunda Doubt and Catherine Munjai Chirongwe.

As introductions are being done, Gogo Chizengeya sits quietly sometimes gazing in the sky, with a smile. She appears to be silently communicating with the heavens, to thank them for long life and for having an opportunity to tell the story of her life.

She can’t hear properly anymore, one has to shout and speak slowly when communicating with her.

She tells her visitors that through the years, she has encountered varying degrees of respect and inclusion in society, all in equal measure.

She boasts that many people in their area know her for her farming prowess. 

Last season, Gogo Chizengeya worked alone in her maize field, refusing any help, harvesting eight bags of maize and several bags of groundnuts. 

She is proud of her harvest, leads her guests to her granary where she shows off the stash. 

 “I am now tired. I can’t do this anymore. This season I will not farm, my grandchild and our helper will do so,” she reveals.

Perfectionist

A perfectionist, wrinkles have been kind to her, with only a few on her skin thanks to her daily bath routine of cold water and soap. She says she has religiously done this since she was a small girl.

“When I finish bathing, I pour the remaining water in my garden. I also do my laundry and arrange my clothes,” she adds. 

Everyday, she makes her bed and cleans her room, does not want anyone to do so as they will not do it perfectly.

With her back bending, a walking stick now supports her.

She says she is strong, and has been like that for as far as she remembers.

She adds she only started using a walking stick this year, yet she still moves fast going in and out of her kitchen, bedroom and granary with ease.

Gogo Chizengeya is vivacious and captivating. Even though age has robbed her of her youth, it undoubtedly has given her a better replacement, wisdom.

She reminisces what life was, before the world was corrupted by vices that include drug abuse, early sex, gender based violence and disease among others.

Growing up, she adds, the world was a different place, children were well behaved and people valued their culture.

“We were well behaved,” she says. “I took good care of myself till today. Today’s girls marry early. I always tell them that what you are doing is wrong. These days they just do poche poche (anything).” 

To try and restore the proper way of living, Gogo Chizengeya says if any of her grandchildren or grand grandchildren or those in the surrounding villages visit her, she walks them through the right path.

“If they come home late, I ask for a valid reason,” she says. “When they visit, I tell them how we live. Children of today are naughty. Long back our way of living did not allow such behaviour, young girls did not wear trousers.” 

When she was married, her husband paid cows and money to her father, she does not remember how much.

She recalls how during the Second Chimurenga, the Rhodesians built 19 concentrated villages known as “keeps” in Chiweshe.

Her family and others were herded, like cattle, into one of the Keeps where they stayed for a while.

Voting 

Whenever elections come, Gogo makes sure her name appears in the register.

“On polling day, I go to Marongwe, my national identity card in hand, to cast my vote,” she says. “I have done this religiously since we became independent and women could vote.” 

Even in old age, she will do anything to vote and will even go, while being pushed in a wheelbarrow.

She says she will vote for as long as she is around. 

“During the 2018 harmonised elections, I told my best friend push me in a wheelbarrow to Marongwe so that I could vote,” she adds.

She last went to their local shops last year, to buy some sugar, which she loves so much. 

She cannot live without sugar and gets upset when her supplies finish and there are delays to replenish them.

“I am now old” she admits, “I can’t even go to collect food, the village head helps by pushing me in a wheelbarrow. My sahwira also collects on my behalf.”

She does not remember all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She only remembers those who visit her regularly.

She also wonders why her house is not modern, yet most people in her area are renovating. This worries her.

Well cooked meat and peanut butter also make part of her bucket list.

A member of the New Apostolic Faith Church, Gogo Chizengeya recites the song “kugara zvakanaka nevamwe muraini.”

She says she has been staying well with others in her area. If anyone does so, good things always happen.

Her brother Handris Kaodza recalls their childhood, which shaped Gogo Chizengeya.

He says on December 11, 1920, their parents welcomed their first born child, a daughter they named Rena Kaodza (Chizengeya).

A mother of nine children (four alive and five deceased), 18 grandchildren, 37 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild, he says Gogo Chizengeya has been lucky to see three generations of her descendants.

“We started farming at a very young age. In 1958, Gogo Chizengeya would go to Mbare Musika with our mom, where they would sell the produce like sweet potatoes, pumpkins and other fresh vegetables,” he recalls.

Gogo Chizengeya’s daughter-in-law Ingah Chigwaza also recalls life with the old woman.

She said when she married into the family, Gogo Chizengeya was already old. 

“When I got married, I did not know how to do a lot of physical work especially farming, but Gogo Chizengeya did not mind, she would tell me to focus on housework and cooking,” Chigwaza says.

Chigwaza says even with her hearing now impaired by age, gogo is fond of radio.

“She loves listening to the radio and if you give her one, she spends the entire day listening,” she reveals.

She eats cow peas, sweet potatoes, peanut butter, lemons, dried vegetables, all traditional foods.

 

 “When we came wearing face masks, she asked us ‘mahanesi makaapfekerei”, said Chigwaza. “We told her that there is a new virus, Covid-19. She was quite surprised.”

She said Gogo Chizengeya always stayed in rural areas, but would visit her children in Harare often.

“The bus passes through the road near her home. Gogo would board the bus and come to Mbare. She would go to the police and hand them her phone, ask them to call us. We would then collect her from there,” she explains.

Cde Gezi said she learnt a lot when she spent time with Gogo Chizengeya.

“We heard how you took good care of yourself to be married as a virgin,” she said. “It resonates with what the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa is trying to teach young girls. 

“She saw that young girls no longer value their selves that’s why there are many challenges like sexually transmitted infections and cancers. This was not there before.” 

Cde Gezi added: “This message bodes well with what the First Lady is saying. She is saying nhanga should come back for the girls and gota for the boys so that they know what to do, to be a woman or a man who looks after the family.”

She added that it is good that Gogo Chizengeya eats lots of traditional foods, which are healthy.

“This is different from eating processed foods. God blessed you with a long life. Our First lady is saying that let us go back to small grains. I now eat peanut butter everyday, sorghum, even drying own vegetables. We hope God continues to protect you. I see you are a vessel of knowledge,” Cde Gezi added.

When we finally leave Gogo’s home, the sun hangs low in a yellowish-brown fog, escorting us to a shorter route leading to the tarred road.

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