Charamba’s wife dies, mourned Mrs Charamba
Mrs Charamba

Mrs Charamba

Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
ZIMBABWEANS have joined the Charamba family in mourning the wife of Presidential spokesperson and Information, Media and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Mr George Charamba, Idaishe Olivia Chengu, who died yesterday.

Mrs Charamba (45), a lawyer, died at Westend Hospital yesterday mid-morning after succumbing to liver complications.

She will be buried at her rural home in Mutorashanga tomorrow.

Last night, several senior Government officials and members of the media fraternity across the divide led by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, visited the Charamba family to pay their condolences.

Mr Charamba gave a detailed account of how his wife suffered until her last breath yesterday.

He described her as a good wife adding that her death was a huge loss in his life.

“She was a good woman. She was a good wife. She was a good mother. It’s a huge loss,” he said.

Mr Charamba said doctors alerted him they had lost control of the situation after her liver and lungs were affected, adding that soon the heart was also going to succumb.

At that stage, Mr Charamba said, the doctors advised him to select the visitors who could come to her and bid her farewell.

He hailed the support he received from the medical team that was attending to his wife, saying he had no misgiving as they had done their best but to no avail.

Family spokesperson Mr Tinayeshe Mutazu said: “According to our programme, we will spend the whole day here tomorrow (today) in Harare after which we will travel to Mutorashanga later in the day for burial on Tuesday (tomorrow).

“Mai Charamba was an intelligent woman and by the way she was a lawyer by training. She had an interest in farming and she was supportive of her husband and looking after her family. She had taken part in Command Agriculture and was expecting huge harvests.

“Now this is what has happened and we just accept it as it is because that has always been God’s plan.”

Addressing the mourners VP Mnangagwa said: “We should just accept it as it is because even if you choose to ask why things have happened this way, no one will give an answer.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa addresses mourners at the funeral wake of wife to Presidential spokeman Mr George Charamba (seated left), Idaishe Olivia Chengu, in Alexandra Park, Harare, yesterday. Also in the picture is Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga (partly obscured).  - Picture by Tawanda Mudimu.

Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa addresses mourners at the funeral wake of wife to Presidential spokeman Mr George Charamba (seated left), Idaishe Olivia Chengu, in Alexandra Park, Harare, yesterday. Also in the picture is Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Chiwenga (partly obscured). – Picture by Tawanda Mudimu.

“We all know that each and every one of us has his or her day to leave this world and when that day comes, you will go. However, I am happy that you (Mr Charamba) did your best. The detailed account that you (Mr Charamba) gave us here I think it’s only a few men who are able to do that. You stayed on the bedside of your wife to the end.

“For women its easier to sit on the bedsides of their husbands until they die, but for men to sit for three hours; just sitting looking at your wife it’s difficult. I really admire what you have done,” VP Mnangagwa said.

Speaking from South Africa where he received the news en route to Switzerland last night Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Chris Mushohwe urged Mr Charamba to take heart that he had done everything humanly possible for his wife.

“I learnt with shock and disbelief of the painful and untimely death of Idaishe Olivia Charamba, the late dear wife of Cde George Charamba, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services and Presidential spokesperson.

“Cde Charamba you have done everything humanly possible for your dear and precious wife but her creator, God, has called her home. The entire Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, her parastatals and public enterprises and indeed my family and I, convey our profound condolences to Cde Charamba, the children and the entire Charamba family. May her soul rest in peace,” Minister Mushohwe said.

Zimbabwe Defence Force Commander General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga, consoled the Charamba family saying: “I want to thank you all who have come to be with the Charambas at this moment of bereavement. Mwari akatipa mutemo akati tiri huruva saka tichadzokera kuhuruva.

“Mwari vaita kuda kwavo. I send a message to Mr Charamba telling him that Mwari vaita kuda kwavo chishinga.”

Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo described the death of Mrs Charamba as a huge loss to his constituency.

He said Mrs Charamba used to make several donations to people in his constituency.

Among the mourners were Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Thokozile Mathuthu, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Retired Colonel Christian Katsande, Central Intelligence Organisation Director-General Retired Major- General Happyton Bonyongwe, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ambassador Joey Bimha and members of the media.

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