BY DR MASIMBA MAVAZA | In a British Parliament where the legislators and the Lords were discussing issues on the protection of journalists, a certain Lord who is confused by ego snapped out of topic and started to berate the First Lady of Zimbabwe.
What Lord Oates did not know is that the First Lady of Zimbabwe is not a politician. She is a philanthropist and a mother to her nation. The First Lady, like most First Ladies, cannot control the police or the justice system. Lord Oates had even incited ministers and people to besiege the First Lady of Zimbabwe and question her on issues she has no say in.
It is important to understand the work of the First Lady of Zimbabwe.
The First Lady of Zimbabwe, Auxillia Mnangagwa, has undertaken numerous initiatives to improve the lives of Zimbabweans, particularly women and vulnerable communities. Some of her notable works include Empowering Women and Girls:
Providing sanitary wear to poor women and girls, and promoting menstrual hygiene through reusable sanitary wear clubs.
The First Lady offers scholarships to girls from underprivileged communities to stem child marriages and ensure access to education.
Initiating women empowerment projects, such as livestock ownership and handcrafts, to improve their economic well-being. She has established a bank which caters for the interests of the women. The very first women’s bank in the world is in Zimbabwe. The First Lady improves the lives of an African girl child. This is the work which angers Lord John Oates. His fight against the First Lady has nothing to do with politics but pure anti-African action by Lord Oates.
In pursuing the girl child track, the First Lady initiated Healthcare Initiatives.
Unlike what John Oates does for his people, the First Lady is providing free medical specialist services to marginalized communities through outreach programs.
The First Lady of Zimbabwe is offering accessible and free cervical, breast, and prostate cancer screening. This John Oates can never dream of doing in his lifetime.
Unlike John Oates, the First Lady launched the National Human Papillomavirus Vaccination program to benefit over 800,000 girls. This John Oates has never done even for his own children, yet he has the guts to intimidate the First Lady of Zimbabwe. In all the languages on earth, John Oates is described as a coward who is only good at intimidating women in action.
In case Lord Oates has forgotten, the First Lady has again made sure that Food Security and Nutrition is sufficient for the people of Zimbabwe.
She implemented a nationwide school feeding program to address poor school performance due to malnutrition and hunger. She promoted nutrition gardens and fishponds to enhance food self-sufficiency.
She is taking a lead in Community Development:
Working with traditional leaders’ spouses as agents of change and empowerment.
The First Lady initiated projects to promote environmental preservation and sustainable livelihoods.
Can someone tell Lord Oates that the First Lady of Zimbabwe is providing support to marginalized communities, such as the San and Doma people of Zimbabwe.
The First Lady has become an advocate of awareness: advocating for safe sanitary wear and menstrual hygiene.
Raising awareness about cervical and breast cancer, and promoting health-seeking behaviors. She has continued engaging men in discussions on gender-based violence, child marriages, and sexual abuse. This is what Zimbabweans are happy about and, surprisingly, this is what John Oates hates so much.
John Oates must realise that the First Lady’s efforts have been recognized both locally and internationally, inspiring other African First Ladies to replicate her initiatives. She has been appointed Ambassador for Health and Childcare, Patron of Environment, and Ambassador for Days for Girls, among other roles.
It is surprising that some Zimbabweans like Hopewell Goat Chin’ono are supporting Lord Oates to undermine the First Lady. The First Lady of Zimbabwe must not be intimidated by the coward Lord Oates.