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Tendai Rupapa in CHIKAFA, Mbire

FIRST Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has encouraged families to live in peace, love and harmony to curb a spike in divorce cases and worrying cases of mischief among children across all the country’s communities.

She urged women to be content with what they have, discouraging promiscuity and ensuring communities start income-generating projects to curb dependence on handouts.

The mother of the nation, who is also the country’s health ambassador, made the remarks during an interactive session where villagers were accorded free health checks as she leads from the front in ensuring people are screened early for non-communicable diseases and immediately placed on treatment to save lives.

Amai Mnangagwa also had her blood pressure checked to motivate other people to do so. Services provided included cancer screening, dental services, Covid-19 testing, HIV testing and counselling and blood pressure checks, among other NCDs.

“As a mother I have come to discuss constructive issues of using our hands, unity, love and family life,” said the First Lady.

“I am moving with the Gota/Nhanga/Ixhiba programme teaching our children because they have gone wayward.

“However, these children are also complaining that as parents you have no time with them. As parents do you know your responsibilities in the families? Are you teaching and moulding these children?

“So, who is that child who is abusing drugs? What about that one who is bedding men at a tender age? Whose daughter is she? That one who is stealing other people’s cattle and goats in communities, whose child is that one?

“In a family set-up, what should a father and a mother be like, the qualities we look into? The divorce rate and gender-based violence cases have gone up, why is that so? Mugere sei mumba menyu (how are you co-existing in your home)?”

First Lady Auxillia addresses people in Chikafa during an interactive session with them yesterday.

Added Mai Mnangagwa: “Mashonaland Central, why are you marrying off children at tender ages because this province tops other provinces on child marriages. I heard that some even look for a family that takes bread and tea for their breakfast in the community to marry off their daughters there.

“Please stop this and let children go to school to start their lives. Let us discuss today and teach each other tigadzirisane patiri kurasika (so and correct each other where we err).”

Contributing to the discussion, Mrs Dorcas Chikaonda, said she was perturbed by men who claimed ownership for everything around the home, including livestock, even when they acquired the wealth jointly with their wives.

“When we get married we will be planning things together, but later we hear men saying ‘my house’, ‘my cattle’ or ‘my borehole’ but we would have acquired these things jointly,” she said.

“Also, once they get money they seek a second wife and this triggers domestic violence. What men are doing is painful Amai.”

In response, the First Lady counselled men to stick to their wives through thick and thin.

“Inga zvinonzi zingizi gonyera pamwe maruva enyika haapere (It is said a wasp must stick to one flower), so where is the love of yesteryear going as you seek another partner when your wife is around. Rudo rwekare rwakayendepi?” she said.

In response, Mr Cain Chiwakura partly accepted blame saying men were squandering money in bars at the expense of looking after their families.

“As men we are partly to blame for violence in the homes because we are spending money in bars and not taking it home, leaving our families hunger-stricken,” he said.

“Another issue concerns answering a spouse’s cellphone and women are barring us from holding their phones.

“If you ask them why they do so, they say it is within their rights. I don’t think they know were their rights start and end.”

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa gets her blood pressure checked by sister Mindy Chipokosa as a way of encouraging villagers to be checked for various ailments in Chikafa yesterday. Picture: John Manzongo

Mrs Barbra Chiponda added her voice saying: “I think not touching my husband’s phone is okay because why should I look for baboons in the mountain and cause myself hypertension. This issue of cellphones is the top cause of domestic violence.”

The First Lady said communities must live in peace and shun domestic violence which she said breaks families.

Also speaking during the interactive session, Mrs Susan Mbodzi said women who were employed had challenges with spouses who claimed their earnings and deny them a say in the home.

“As employed women we face may challenges because our husbands demand our earnings saying they belong to them. They argue that we have no say in the home and at times you find him having married off our daughters at the bar while we are away at work.

“They just tell you that the child went to get married. They do this out of love for money to drink beer,” she said with a troubled look.

The First Lady condemned child marriages and said it was critical to let children complete their education and pursue their interests.

As the environmental ambassador, she decried the destruction of forests and trees through veld fires.

“The destruction of forests and trees are disturbing,” she said.

“Trees are life and we must preserve our forests. The grass helps on climate change. If we destroy forests we are killing ourselves. These fires are destroying livestock, homes and maybe children will be sleeping inside.”

On health services on offer, the mother of the nation said it was critical for people to take advantage of the ongoing programme to get                                       checked.

“Take advantage of these services and be keen to be checked,” she said. “I passed through there and had my blood pressure checked, so let us utilise these services being offered by health experts.”

She implored the community to embrace vaccination and follow World Health Organisation protocols of masking up, washing hands and observing social distance to keep Covid-19 at bay.

She acknowledged the presence of Mozambican traditional leader Chief Jeke Mutakuramombe Mbudziihata who was represented by headman Kenias Nyapfere.

“I respect our local chief, Chief Chitsungo and his counterpart from Mozambique and his councillors who came here to honour me,” said the First Lady.

“A mother remains a mother wherever she goes. I welcome you my children.”

The presence of the Mozambican community, just like it did in Chidodo, shows the respect the mother of the nation has earned across the border through her hard work, selflessness and unconditional love.

The First Lady gave the families maize-meal, sugar, rice and cooking oil to stay healthy. She also distributed toiletries that include bathing and laundry soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes to ensure people’s hygiene.

There was something for everyone including adult clothes, baby clothes, new born baby kits, sport kits for schools and school stationery.

There were also rehabilitation equipment for local clinics.

One of the villagers, Mr Raymond Kanyemba said he was awestruck by the First Lady’s love for the nation.

“Since independence in 1980, I had never seen anything like this,” he said. “We had never had the privilege of being visited by someone at her level. This shows her love and she has given us access to health checks and given us food. This is greatly commendable.”

Also awestruck was Mrs Shamiso Moyo who said she valued the teachings that the mother of the nation had given them.

“Her teachings are razor sharp and bent on building the nation,” she said.

“We thank her greatly for thinking about us and her practical show of love.”