Elizabeth Macheka

Marriage to Morgan Tsvangirai

Karimatsenga lawsuit

Elizabeth Macheka was married to the MDC Leader Morgan Tsvangirai in September 2012. However, less than 48-hours before the wedding to Macheka, a South African woman, Nosipho Regina Shilubane, emerged to claim that she was engaged to Tsvangirai. Her court bid was not considered as the courts deemed it without merit. ^[3]

Tsvangirai had married Locadia Karimatsenga in a tra­ditional ceremony after allegedly impreg­nating her although she later had a miscar­riage. Karimatsenga was however dumped after 12 days of being customarily married to Tsvangirai. Karimatsenga approached the courts and contested Tsvangirai's marriage to Macheka which caused the cancellation of the marriage license less than 24-hours before the wedding, causing a legal battle between Karimatsenga and the Tsvangirai's.

Harare provincial magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi on August 27, 2012, issued a marriage license to Tsvangirai and Macheka. However, the same magistrate revoked the license after Locardia Karimatsenga convinced him that she was already in a customary marriage with Tsvangirai. Karimatsenga claimed $15 000 for maintenance. Eventually, Elizabeth Macheka and Tsvangirai won the case and got married. ^[4]

The Separation

In November 2013, Elizabeth and Tsvangirai were reported to have separated after alleged religion differences. It was reported that Macheka left their matrimonial home in Highlands and stayed alone in Borrowdale. It was reported that Macheka further approached the army, police and Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), seeking protection from alleged MDC members who felt that she had deserted their leader. ^[5] However in January 2014 it was reported that the couple had reconciled and living together. Apparently, the separation had caused a rift in the MDC political party. ^[6]

Alleged Government Involvement In Marriage

In September 2017 Luke Tamborinyoka, alleged that the government was attempting to destabilize Tsvangirai’s marriage in order to distract him from bidding for the 2018 presidential elections. Part of the alleged efforts included portraying Tsvangirai’s wife Elizabeth Macheka as a cheat who was involved in an adulterous relationship with one of her ex-husbands Kennedy Ngirazi. It was alleged that Elizabeth traveled with Ngirazi to Australia for the graduation ceremony of her daughter Rumbidzai. ^[7]

Alleged Passport Confistication

Macheka was reported to have confiscated and withheld the former Prime Minister’s passport in a bid to force him to resign and step down in January 2018. As a result, Tsvangirai had to delay his trip to South Africa for medical treatment. Macheka is reported to have pushed for Tsvangirai to step down because she had received assurances from the military that Tsvangirai would be given his pension and other benefits for serving as Prime Minister in the Government of National Unity (GNU) between 2009 and 2013 if he handed power to Nelson Chamisa. Tsvangirai had to surrender his old passport to President Emmerson Mnangagwa during the courtesy visit after he was promised a diplomatic passport, which was later delivered to Macheka. Tsvangirai’s wife only released his passport after intervention from Tsvangirai’s allies.Tsvangirai's Wife Alleged To Have Confiscated His Passport To Try To Force Him To Step Down

Alleged ban to visit husband

The succession battles in the political party, MDC-T were reported to have intensified and Elizabeth Macheka was caught in between them. It was reported that Macheka was banned from visiting her husband the late Morgan Tsvangirai in the hospital as she was influencing him. The party’s three vice presidents, Nelson Chamisa, Elias Mudzuri and Thokozani Khupe all expressed interest in succeeding Tsvangirai. However, Macheka who was reported to have good relations with Chamisa was said to be to working to guarantee that he takes over as party leader. Tsvangirai’s Wife Barred from Visiting, Accused Of Undue Influence In Succession When she was asked for a comment she said

I will only talk when all this is over when my husband is out of the hospital…Whatever is happening, I have no comment

Death of Tsvangirai

Macheka's husband Morgan Tsvangirai passed on the 14th of February 2018 after a long illness. He had been diagnosed of colon cancer and was receiving treatment at Wits Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lydia Tsvangirai, the late Tsvangirai's mother was reported to have banned Macheka from attending the funeral of her husband.

“…udza vana sekuru vako, Eliza handidi kumuona pano…face yaChamisa handidi kuiona. Hezvino ndiripano ndingazvisungirira”

(Tell your uncles, I don’t want to see Elizabeth and Chamisa here, or else I will kill myself)

The family was also reported to have Disowned Elizabeth and planned To Grab Entire Inheritance and it was reported that Elizabeth Barred Tsvangirai’s Children, Relatives From Highlands Home Macheka, however, denied these allegations

I am still in mourning, but it is not true that any child has been locked out. Miriro and Richard are with their mother and we actually parted well after their mother requested to see them temporarily. They are welcome here anytime and I have even spoken with their mother. People must not lie that anyone has been shut out even though some of them know what they did while my husband was sick in South Africa. I don’t want to talk about that now but people should not lie on top of their ill-treatment of me and their lack of respect.

Machekas message after Tsvangirai's death

After the burial of Morgan Tsvangirai, his widow issued a statement of thanking all who had assisted her and comforted her.

Thank you, Zimbabwe and the multitudes of colleagues from Africa, the Diplomatic Community, all the political parties, friends and relatives who turn up for the funeral of my loving husband, Morgan.

To the multitudes who turned up at the hospital in South Africa at our home in Highlands, at the Methodist church in Mabelreign and at all gatherings to do with the funeral of my late loving husband, I say thank you. On behalf of myself and the children, we felt comforted by your messages and your presence when you came to mourn with us. Yes, I had known from the outset that Morgan was a national figure that I would share with you all but your commiseration with me and the family was overwhelming and unprecedented!

Brand Morgan touched everyone’s heart and soul but I hugely felt humbled by everyone’s love and support in my hour of grief. Thank you, Zimbabwe for your presence, your messages and your words of comfort. I am still grieving but your overwhelming presence gave me unprecedented warmth and companionship.

To my dear Morgan, I say go well.

Go well my dearest and I have no doubt that the love you had for your fellow countrymen will ensure that you get eternal peace in the hands of the Almighty. Yes, we are still grieving and the void you left will never be filled but I shall cherish the time the Lord, favoured me to be with you.

Thank you, everyone, for standing by me and the family in our time of grief. Lastly, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the MDC Family, the government of Zimbabwe, the Tsvangirai family, the Macheka family, civic organisations, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist church ofZimbabwe, Doves Funeral Services, Nyaradzo Funeral services, Bakers Inn and the world at large who extended their sympathy and support on the passing away of my husband after a long battle with colon cancer.

May the Almighty God bless you all Yours sincerely, Mrs Elizabeth Tsvangirai

Tsvangirai's Property

In March 2018, Tsvangirai Family reportedly accused Macheka of hiding cars, houses from the late Morgan Tsvangirai estate. The family was reported to have claimed that she was not the surviving spouse. Macheka was accused of fraudulently leaving out five houses and 17 vehicles in the inventory of properties filed at the Master of High Court’s office.

Macheka allegedly declared one house in Strathaven, Harare, as the only immovable property that the late politician owned. She listed six vehicles, a herd of 45 cattle in Kwekwe and others in Buhera as the only property forming the estate. The family claimed Macheka fraudulently left the following immovable properties out:

• Highlands house
• Borrowdale house
• Philadelphia house
• Number 16 Kent Road house
• A farm in Mazowe

^[8]

The Master of the High Court was forced to appoint two executors for the estate of the late MDC-T founding leader Morgan Tsvangirai after the different parties failed to settle for one. One executor will represent Tsvangirai’s widow, Elizabeth Macheka Tsvangirai while the other one will represent Tsvangirai’s family. The master appointed lawyers Innocent Chagonda and Jonathan Samukange as executors. Tsvangirai Estate Row: Master Appoints 2 Executors After Elizabeth, Tsvangirai Family Fail To Agree

Gallery

Elizabeth Macheka Video

Pictures

Mazowe Farm

Elizabeth Macheka has a farm in Mazoe where she has a poultry project. ^[1]

References