Thousands pay tribute to Charamba’s wife
MRS Idaishe Olivia Chengu-Charamba, wife of Presidential spokesperson and Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba, died at a private hospital in Harare last Sunday and was buried in Mutorashanga on Tuesday.
Mrs Chengu-Charamba (45) succumbed to liver complications.
Speaking at her burial, Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Deputy Minister, Cde Thokozile Mathuthu, who was representing minister, Dr Chris Mushohwe, who is abroad on Government business, said Mrs Chengu-Charamba looked after her family well, including her husband.
“We see (Mr) George Charamba as a success thanks to his dear wife,” she said.
“He (Mr Charamba) would fulfil every assignment that reaches his desk. I want to thank Mbuya Chengu for raising a well disciplined daughter. You cannot be George’s wife if you are not disciplined. Unodzokera kumusha.”
Speaking at the same occasion, Defence Forces Commander General Constantino Guveya Chiwenga said: “With the little time that we were with her on earth she has managed to gather this huge crowd because of her good works.
“During her last days when we visited her at the hospital, it was painful to see her condition deteriorating. But we should all know that when you are born, the only thing left for you is to die. When you die you should be able to count what you have done for others and your creator. God will appreciate if you do like what Idaishe Olivia has done to look after children. It’s painful but let us admit that God has done his will.”
Mr Charamba thanked the people who came to console him and his in-laws.
He also explained why his wife was buried in Mutorashanga and not his rural home in Buhera.
He said it was his decision to maintain sound family ties with his in-laws and his children.
“I want you to understand this because people will write whatever they are going to write as to why we have buried Idaishe in Mutorashanga and not in Buhera.
“I want to say let it be known to all men and women of goodwill that when my wife died, the Chengu family asked me to make a decision. I realised that it was going to be very difficult for Tonderai (the child of his wife from her first marriage) to come and visit the tomb of his mother without a sense of awkwardness.
“So it was my personal decision that Idaishe should come and be buried here so that it’s easier to all the children. I really wanted to maintain the unity of the family and that is basically the decision,” he said.
Mrs Chengu-Charamba’s burial was also attended by deputy ministers, services chiefs, permanent secretaries, parastatal heads, senior Government officials and members of the public.