African diplomats’ spouses console First Lady, family
SPOUSES of African ambassadors accredited to Zimbabwe on Friday visited First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa to console her after the recent death of her grandson, Yasha Mafidi Mnangagwa, in a massive show of unity among women and the need to comfort one another in times of sorrow.
Yasha, who was aged five, died of respiratory complications.
The women included Umutesi Katushabe Julian, the wife to the Rwandan ambassador, Eugenia Luisa Filipe Lucio, the wife to the Mozambican ambassador, Wetso Ifu, the wife to the Nigerian ambassador, Chifundo Polepole, the wife to the Malawian ambassador, Umsour Ibrahim Khalid Elbasheer, the wife to the Sudanese Charge d’Affaires and Rosaline Kallon, the wife to the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Zimbabwe.
Speaking on behalf of the spouses of diplomats, Umutesi Katushabe Julian said they shared the First Lady’s grief and wished her and her family strength during this difficult time.
“As African mothers, we felt it, we know what it means and how deep it is. We thought we would try by all means to come physically to commiserate with you and also on behalf of our dear spouses. We were devastated when we heard the news.
“Deep inside our hearts we know how heavy it is and we cannot say what which will ease your pain as a family but we pray God comforts you, he heals the broken hearts. It is the Lord who gives and he is the same who takes. The innocent soul, as parents we also loved him but the creator loved him more than us.
“We have come in solidarity to say we are sorry and we are there for you. We are praying that God brings smiles on your faces and mends your broken hearts. This is our first time to meet and we are grateful for your warm welcome.
“It is also a good thing that as African women, we have come together to console each other. We pray for courage and wisdom because you have a lot you are doing for this country. May the healing hand of God be upon you and your family,” she said as she handed Dr Mnangagwa a bouquet of flowers.
The wife to the Malawian ambassador said it was painful to bury young children as most parents looked forward to being buried by their children and not the other way round.
“You don’t have a child so that they go first. We expect us to go first. We expect our children to bury us. We know that there is pain in your heart, but God is a God of love and God is with you,” she said in her words of comfort.
Mrs Kallon added saying: “We are also mothers and we feel your pain, we are so sorry and we are with you in prayers. God is God of love and he will bring back the happiness in your family.”
The wife to the Mozambican ambassador chipped in saying, “We are deeply hurt with what happened. May the good Lord wipe your tears.”
The First Lady chronicled what happened leading to the death of her grandson to the ladies who also took the opportunity to commend her for the work she does through her Angel of Hope Foundation.
Amai Mnangagwa was in Kanyemba conducting several community empowerment programmes when she was informed of the illness of her grandchild. She had taken her detergents making project and traditional meal cook-out competition to the Doma community.
In addition, she held the nhanga/gota/ixhiba, male engagement programmes and also interacted with teen mothers before donating an assortment of goods to the people and initiating new projects.