via SA President Zuma to attend Mugabe wedding | SW Radio Africa by Nomalanga Moyo on Friday, February 28, 2014
South African President Jacob Zuma will be one of several regional leaders attending Bona Mugabe’s wedding on Saturday, his office has confirmed.
International relations spokesman Clayson Monyela said the SA leader will pay Zimbabwe a ‘working visit’ Saturday, and added that Zuma will attend President Robert Mugabe’s daughter’s wedding while in the country.
“South Africa and Zimbabwe share common historical and geographical bonds as demonstrated by the strong economic co-operation between the two countries,” Monyela said in a statement on Friday.
The wedding is expected to last 18 hours, and it remains to be seen how Zuma will divide his visit between work and play.
President Robert Mugabe’s office has tasked the state-owned Central Mechanical Equipment Department to hire hundreds of luxury vehicles for use by dignitaries invited to his daughter’s wedding.
The 24-year-old First Daughter is marrying pilot Simba Chikore in Harare, in what is expected to be one of the grandest affairs in recent times.
The glitzy tone for Saturday’s nuptials was underlined Wednesday when the groom-to-be Chikore rolled up for his bachelor’s party in a state-of-the-art Rolls Royce, with a number plate reading VVIP.
The party was held at the five-star Rainbow Towers Hotel, all courtesy of ZANU PF Cabinet ministers who were also in attendance.
Although the guest list remains a top secret, media reports estimate that 5,000 people have been invited, with several foreign dignitaries also expected to attend.
The venue has not been revealed but speculation is rife that the wedding will take place at Mugabe’s Borrowdale Brooke home.
A Friday NewsDay report said guests started arriving Thursday on coaches hired from national passenger firm ZUPCO, which were dropping them off at a school located not far from the Mugabes.
Shuttle buses will carry guests from Heritage Primary School to the plush residence, according to the Daily News.
Presidential spokesman George Charamba refused to say who exactly is footing the bill when asked by the NewsDay, raising fears that this will be passed on to taxpayers.
Harare residents are already unhappy after the government ordered the local authority to spend $1 million repairing the road leading to the Mugabe residence.
Social commentator Ellen Shiriyedenga said while Bona’s wedding is a happy occasion for her family it is also a private event which shouldn’t strain the public purse.
“Mugabe and his government should learn to tell the difference between party, government and private activities,” Shiriyedenga said.
“I think as Zimbabweans we should also begin to demand to know the source of the funds, and whether he is paying the parastatals whose services he is using.
“South Africans took their President Jacob Zuma to task over his opulent Nkandla home when they suspected that public funds were being abused, and that is what we should also be doing.”
Bulawayo-based political commentator Dumisani Nkomo said it will be unfortunate for ZANU PF to use public resources to fund a private wedding, particularly at this time when Zimbabwe is on the brink of collapse.
“But the problem is that it is hard to prove whether these are public or private funds. That is why we need a declaration of assets from public officials as intimated in the new constitution.
“Without that it is difficult to pin these officials down to anything because they will always argue that they have their own private investments,” Nkomo said.
Popular Congolese rhumba musician Koffi Olomide is set to be the star performer at the wedding. The controversial singer is wanted in France, where he faces rape charges and two years ago Olomide was found guilty of assaulting his producer.
A staunch Joseph Kabila supporter, Olomide has already spoken of his admiration for Mugabe whom he calls ‘a true patriot’.
“By asking someone with such a track record, one wonders what message the President and his wife are giving to their daughter. Perhaps that it is OK to abuse one’s position, abuse women and use violence? Olomide seems to fit right in the ZANU PF fold in this regard,” Ellen Shiriyedenga said.
COMMENTS
No shame among thieves. They will all be showing off proceeds of their looting . I have a bigger diamond than you, I can download more whisky than you. The hungry pogo will be looking in from the outside. Wake up Zimbabwe, boycott their products . Don’t be zanus fools
CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT BOOK ‘ANIMAL FARM ‘ WAS WRITTEN WITH ZIMBABWE IN MIND.
yes Lucy,
from Bob’s comrade mentors, “All men are created equal, but some are more equal than others”
I think Ian Smith tried to warn the world about this for nearly 30 years.
Mabe he can shower with the bride
So what?
If Mugabe has tasked the CMED to hire hundreds of luxury vehicles then it means its us the taxpayers who are footing Bona,s wedding bill. There is need for the president to learn how to segregate government,party and personal business because it seems as if whether Zanu pf or personal its the government which pays at the end of the day. Parliament should take CMED to task over who would have paid for the hundreds of luxury vehicles and request proof of payment from the first family. Mr president you have had a million dollar birthday now you are spending more millions for your daughter,s wedding including hiring Kofi Olomide to perfom when we have close to a million kids who are not going to school because your government failed to provide for them. We have flood victims in chivi district who need food aid imagine the impact the millions you have spent in the two weeks would have on them.
Pity Mugabe’s late brother is not around to enjoy the festivities. If one believes what one hears he is the father of the bride!! Mind you knowing knowing what we know about the lovely Grace, it could well have been any one of a dozen or more!!
Hopefully Olomide will perform the song loi, which i understand it means Law. I hear already someone is saying her first husband was a pilot too. .
He voted for himself through Nikuv so he does not care about the povo. He does not need your vote.
The reason that this abomination can happen, in that impoverished country. attended by the other president thief from SA, is that these rats can do what they like and are never held accountable by anyone. This must end, because if the people continue to keep silent, these looters will just keep stealing as their populations continue sliding deeper into poverty.
Africa needs to rise up and join the twenty first century.
Zuma should not have legitimised this private affair.
You can all see, there is no difference between state and the private life of the gukurahundi Mugabe family.
They are using state resources like vehicles and claiming they will be paid for, who is going to check that?
I can understand a head of state attending another head of state’s wedding; but heads of states attending childrens weddings, thats stretching it.
I need to understand the rules here, do we all have a vote who comes to your birthday party or wedding or is it democratic to all allow an individual to invite who he wants.
Which journalist feels he is so important that he has the right to refuse others invitations.
its very ashameful things happening in zimbabwe for real mr mugabe when will u final agree in ur mind that u have grown up and give up thee chair its for the best