First Lady urges church to promote hard, honest work. . . fight moral decadence in society
Tendai Rupapa in INYATHI
THE church should embrace income-generating projects, promote hard work and address the disturbing increase in moral decadence among youths, families and communities, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.
She spoke on the need to curb domestic violence through embarking on empowerment projects, adding that when a woman is empowered with skills and relevant ideas, her family, community and the nation benefits.
The First Lady made the remarks while addressing thousands of women from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia attending a conference of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) at Inyathi Mission in Matabeleland North.
The conference was for Isililo Manyano Bomme (IMB), an organ in the church specifically for women.
The conference is traditionally held once every two years, but this was the third year before it had been held due to the effects of Covid-19.
The First Lady’s remarks came at a time when the world is saddled with a surge in juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, prostitution, child marriages and general lack of respect owing to various factors, including lack of parental guidance.
Dr Mnangagwa said she felt honoured to address the august gathering of moral gatekeepers and custodians of cultural and religious norms.
“Madzimai I have come to pray with you tichinamata pamwechete as women. I have also come to tell God the matters of my heart and to leave my problems in the house of our father so that he solve them for me.
“Each time a woman stands up for any cause guided by the courage of her convictions, she stands up for all downtrodden and marginalised citizens.
“Allow me to start by thanking the Almighty God for granting us all the grace to gather here to praise him, worship him, thank him as well as registering our pleas and request to him given that he is our God, and our trusted father,” she said to thunderous applause.
The First Lady urged all the women to wholly commit to God the vision of socially and economically empowered women and girls peacefully co-existing in resilient communities enjoying gender equity and equality in a small to medium enterprise driven economy by 2030.
“However, as we pray and deliberate on these women issues, the world must know that Zimbabweans are against child marriages, drug and substance abuse, school drop-outs due to unwanted pregnancy, loose morals, violence of any nature, hate speech and all ills besetting our country,” she said.
“I say this because as the church we must address this disturbing increase in moral decadence among youths, families and communities. Let me also implore you to emulate my initiatives such as the Nhanga/Gota/Ixhiba Programme which seeks to restore the social fabric in our society. Such a programme has a bearing on women’s daily chores as we nurture our children and give direction as well as guidance to our families and the communities as a whole.”
Dr Mnangagwa emphasised the need for the economic empowerment of women to spur development.
United Congregational church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) members listen to First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa’s teachings during their Isililo Manyano Bomme conference attended by members from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa and Namibia in Inyathi yesterday
“Ladies and gentlemen, let me hasten to say that we cannot ignore the obvious multiplier effect of empowering women and girls, a house becomes transformed into a home only with the addition of a wife to provide a loving environment for her husband and children, a safe haven for the entire extended family,” she said.
“As a mother I have full confidence that when you empower a woman with skills and relevant ideas her community and the nation benefits. I treasure such church gatherings where women and young girls come together in an effort to address social ills hindering the development of our nation. To this, I say society can only benefit from women’s innate, transparent and accountable management skills acknowledged in the saying musha mukadzi; umuzi ngumama.”
Dr Mnangagwa spoke on the need to curb domestic violence through embarking on empowerment projects.
“Our destiny is in our own hands and minds. As Zimbabwean women let us unite and work together for the betterment of our country Zimbabwe,” she said.
She further described women as the backbones of families who shaped the direction they wanted their children to grow.
“I don’t think we would want to see our families fail or our husbands to fail. We are mothers to all. Even to our husbands we are also their mothers,” she said.
She said women must always show love to their families and those around them.
“When I come and meet women like you I feel proud. I am just a mother like any other woman. Yes, I am the First Lady, but it is just a name, what’s important is what I am doing as a First Lady. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me,” she said.
“Madzimai ngatishandei tisagarire maoko edu, let us be empowered women and help in raising and looking after our families. Women in the church should lead by example even the way we dress or present ourselves, we should share ideas with others. Let us lead by example.”
The First Lady hinted on the need for women to be approachable and be able to offer advice and assistance to other people at all times.
Mrs Ntombizodwa Mpofu, the overall Chairperson of Isililo Manyano Bomme said the church was inspired to invite the First Lady to its conference by her well-grounded teachings which had won many admirers across the world.
“We invited the First Lady to come here to speak to us, to empower us and to give us life in general. We invited the mother of the nation to come and teach us all we have been looking forward to. We have been seeing her going up and down teaching girls, teaching boys and everybody else. We know that our mother belongs to everybody and does not select.
“She came to talk about women empowerment, how to live in our homes, how to live with our husbands, how to live with the children, how to live with the girl child, how to live with the boy child,” she said with happiness written all over her face.
Mrs Mpofu highlighted the many great things Amai Mnangagwa is doing across the nation.
First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa hands over a certificate of appreciation to one of the former chairpersons of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa (UCCSA) Isililo Manyano Bomme at a conference attended by members from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa and Namibia in Inyathi yesterday
“We are highly honoured to have Umama present. Allow me to talk about our mother, a woman who embraces all, who cares for all,” she said. “We are grateful she accepted our invitation. Today we are gathered as women, as mothers. A mother has the responsibility of teaching her children humility. Whenever there is trouble, a mother like a hen opens her wings and covers all her children. Just like a mother hen, a mother feeds all her children.
“Our mother, the First Lady, is like the mother hen, she embraces all her children. As IMB women, we want to emulate our mother who is the patron of Angel of hope foundation. Amai is touching lives across the length and breadth of the country.”
Mrs Judith Ncube, the overall treasurer, gave a brief background of the church.
“Our church is one in five countries — Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Mozambique,” she said. “I am a treasurer of the women’s guild in those five countries. We saw it fit to invite Amai since she is also a woman and our mother to teach us as women how we should live in the homes with our families, how we can look after ourselves and help our husbands in the homes.
“We should not sit on our hands waiting for men to provide for the home. You have to bring something to the table so that you combine with resources brought by men to look after the children. This is what Amai has taught us today. We have learnt to stand on our own since we are not the old-fashioned women who relied on men for everything including tomatoes.”
This dovetailed with the views of Mrs Vuyokazi Grootboom, the chairperson of IMB in South Africa who said she was inspired by the First Lady’s wise counsel.
“I am happy that I am here today to listen to the First Lady of Zimbabwe,” she said. “I was touched and moved by her speech especially when she was talking about the role of a mother. Many times we think that to be a mother is just to bear a child. She taught to be hard-working and responsible women.
“She told us that to be a mother is to have a responsibility in our homes, in our children and in our husbands. Also in the society, the churches that we are in she told us that we have the strength to achieve many things as long as we remain focused and hard-working. I am going to carry her teachings to my country so that other women benefit.”
Reverend Siphilangenkosi Nkomo, the Bulawayo Region Secretary, was awestruck by the mother of the nation’s delivery.
“We were very much encouraged by what Amai said today,” she said. “What I liked most about her speech is that women are the ones who make up homes because musha mukadzi. We were taught that through income generating projects we can raise families and even pay school fees for our children.”
Similar views were echoed by Reverend Sikhanyisiwe Dube of Gweru church extension minister who described the First Lady’s visit as a blessing.
“Today we were blessed to have fellowship with Amai,” she said. “I personally learnt a lot from her. She encouraged all women to work hard so she emphasised that women must be role models, live exemplary lives and also teach their children both boys and girls.
“Normally we concentrate on girls that they are the ones who have to be responsible in the home but she emphasised that boys must be taught as well so that when they get married they take care of their families.”
Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Richard Moyo, commended the First Lady for her philanthropic and empowerment programmes which are benefiting the whole nation.
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