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Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter

RUSSIA fully acknowledges First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa as a great charity activist worthy the title ‘mother of the nation’, Russian Federation Council speaker Madam Valentina Matviyenko has said.

Speaking at a dinner hosted in her honour on Thursday night after she arrived in the country with a high-powered delegation at the First Lady’s reciprocal invitation, Madam Matviyenko also described President Mnangagwa as a heroic courageous man and a true patriot.

She also had good words for Zimbabweans whom she said were open-minded and kind people.

The dinner was hosted by the First Lady, with Government Ministers, Deputy Ministers and other senior Government officials in attendance.

The menu comprised traditional dishes which the mother of the nation is promoting countrywide because of their high nutritional value and medicinal properties.

The First Lady and Madam Matviyenko led other officials to the dance floor where they danced to local music performed by the Police Band.

“Your most valued assert is your open-minded and kind people,” said Madam Matviyenko. “We are all greatly impressed by meeting His Excellency President Mnangagwa. Your Head of State is a heroic courageous man and true patriot that does a lot to promote socio-economic development and preserve your sovereignty and independence.

“President (Vladimir) Putin of Russia and President Mnangagwa have trustful personal relations and they set the course for our bilateral multi-dimensional relations. The highlight of the relations was the visit by the President of Zimbabwe to the Russian Federation and the agreements reached with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin that give a new impetus to our interesting relations.

“The Republic of Zimbabwe honoured us with a visit to the International Women’s Forum in St Petersburg that gave a new dimension to our humanitarian relations and to our cooperation in education and health and I would like to assure you Madam Mnangagwa that Russia knows that you are great charity activist and you are worthy being called mother of the nation.

“Thank you for your invitation to visit your great country and for a very welcoming hospitality. We would like to commend the attention you pay to developing the Russian-Zimbabwean ties and your personal contribution to it and welcoming our delegation and we feel that warmth and love that you give us.

“You and President Mnangagwa told us to feel at home, we are indeed feeling at home. The visit was organised at the highest level and we will always remember it.”

Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Madam Valentina Matviyenko and First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa marvel at the traditional dances during a visit to Hotplate Grill House owned by Angel of Foundation located at the corner of Samora Machel Avenue and 7th Street in Harare on Thursday

Earlier, the mother of the nation had expressed confidence that the Russian delegation would have fruitful exchanges in the country.

“I warmly welcome you to Zimbabwe and express my confidence that you and your team have had and will have fruitful engagements,” she said. “I do recall with gratitude Honourable Matviyenko the visit I made to St Petersburg to attend the Third Eurasian Women’s Forum in October 2021 following an invitation which you extended to me.

“That most memorable event was an eye-opener as it was an important platform for women from across the world where we exchanged hybrid ideas on ways of approaching and tackling global challenges. These are just but a few memorable encounters among many other meetings I had with you.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Honourable Matviyenko my office and the Angel of Hope Foundation is undertaking various philanthropic activities throughout the country. The foundation has managed to positively transform lives of many underprivileged Zimbabweans under very challenging times.”

Dr Mnangagwa, who is the country’s health ambassador, paid tribute to Russia for its interventions to ease the country’s Covid-19 plight.

“We, therefore, express our deep gratitude to the Russian government for coming to our rescue during the Covid-19 pandemic by donating the Sputnik vaccine to combat the pandemic,” she said.

“That donation, therefore, went a long way in assisting our Government to accelerate its vaccination programme.

“As we all know, philanthropic work is guaranteed of success when it is working with a healthy population. Once again I am grateful for your visit to our beautiful country and wish you most fruitful deliberations with various stakeholders.”

Some of the kitchen utensils donated by Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Madam Valentina Matviyenko to First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa during a visit to Hotplate Grill House in Harare on Thursday

In his vote of thanks, Zanu PF Second Secretary and Vice President Kembo Mohadi showered Dr Mnangagwa with praises for her philanthropic work which had captured the imagination of the world.

“I want to thank the First Lady heartily for having gone to St Petersburg, Russia,” he said. “I am thanking her because of her work in Zimbabwe through her Angel of Hope Foundation. Her works have actually gone to foreign lands and attracted the attention of people from those foreign lands. They have heard about the good things she does in Zimbabwe.

“Recently, she was conferred with a doctorate degree by a university in India because of her philanthropic work. If people from far lands are recognising her, what are our universities doing? It would have been the best thing to do if they had done it first. India has already recognised her.

“Be that as it may, I want to thank the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education for coming to the dinner. Minister, it is now up to you to sit down with your councils and see what you can do. Even to us in the leadership in party and Government, we have not done as good as she is doing.

“She goes to the grassroots where people are. She does not spend time in the office, but with the people, listening to the people. Amai in trying to emulate you and following in your footsteps, I have come up with four “L’s” which are; If you want to be a servant leader, you need to Live with the people. If you live with those people, you need to Listen to them. If you listen to them then you Learn from them and Love them.”

Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Madam Valentina Matviyenko, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa and Senate President Mable Chinomona join the Zimbabwe Republic Police Band on the dance floor during a dinner hosted for the Russian delegation by Dr Mnangagwa at State House on Thursday. — Pictures: John Manzongo

Cde Mohadi said he deduced the principle from the First Lady’s interaction with people.

“Amai lives with the people, listens to what they say, learns from them and loves them. After listening to the people, she then comes up with programmes to benefit them. I salute you Your Excellency. It is true that musha mukadzi. For there to be Zimbabwe, there has to be a First Lady like her. For Zimbabwe to be what it is, it is because of the First Lady.” he said to applause.

Songstress Diana Samkange, traditional dance groups and the Police Band provided entertainment for the guests who appreciated the Zimbabwean culture and cuisine.