A woman romantically linked to Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has accused the state media of trying to use her to tarnish the image of President Robert Mugabe’s fierce rival.
The state media, which is still tightly controlled by the long serving president's Zanu PF party, ran a sensational story at the weekend claiming that Mr Tsvangirai was involved in the break-up the marriage of a local businessman.
This followed a court case in the second city of Bulawayo where a woman sought a restraining order against her husband of 12 years.
Citing unnamed sources, the Herald newspaper said Ms Aquilina Pamberi was trying to leave her husband so that she can marry the PM.
The two allegedly met at a graduation for Deputy Prime Minister Thokazani Khupe who is also the second in command in Mr Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change party.
Ms Pamberi, in her first interview after the story broke out, admitted attending a private function with the popular politician but denied she was having an affair with Ms Tsvangirai, who is widower.
She threatened to sue the newspaper, which she said relied on information that was never submitted in court for its story.
Defamatory
“I feel violated by these falsehoods, which have been used to tarnish the image of Mr Tsvangirai,” she told the privately owned daily paper, NewsDay, in the presence of her lawyers.
“The Prime Minister was the guest of honour at the party and he addressed us and afterwards we went to greet him.
“I greeted him like any other party member so I don’t know where the allegations of the affair are coming from.
“Never at one time has my husband accused me of having an affair with Mr Tsvangirai.”
At the weekend, the Prime Minister’s office said the allegations were baseless and defamatory.
“It is not in the national interest to engage in needless journalistic persecution of popularly elected national leaders,” Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesman said in a statement.
“Responsible journalists cannot sulk on behalf of unpopular politicians."
Mr Tsvangirai’s love life has been a matter of speculation since the death of his wife, Susan, in a car crash almost two years ago.
By: Kitsepile nyathi (African Review)
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