The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
THE late former First Lady, Mrs Janet Banana, returned to Zimbabwe to reunite with her family when the Second aRepublic came into office after spending 18 years in exile in the United Kingdom as she felt persecuted by the previous political administration.
Mrs Banana spent 18 “unhappy” years in the UK and only decided to come back when President Mnangagwa took over office. Following her death in July, her family has extended their gratitude to President Mnangagwa for offering her a chance to return home and live comfortably while receiving her dues as a former First Lady.
Mrs Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, a niece to the late former President Canaan Banana said Mrs Banana returned home because of the new dispensation.
“Thank you for giving us an opportunity as a family to give our thanks to President Mnangagwa because as you may know, during the First Republic, given the issues that were associated with my uncle, the late former President Banana, the former First Lady left the country and was staying in the UK.
“Unhappily so, because she always wanted to be home. So, the coming in of the Second Republic brought not just the material things, it was the organising processes, the documentation making sure that she comes home and also ensuring that she is accorded her status as a former First Lady,” she said.
She said for the Banana family, it was the recognition that was given to her by President Mnangagwa that stands out, adding that the current First Lady also paid a courtesy call on Mrs Banana.
“I came with the First Lady Amai Auxilia Mnangagwa to visit her and it was a very emotional time. All that crying for her and it was not just an emotional way of thanking her and feeling good about being back home but she was being recognised for the role that she played in this country,” revealed Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
As a constitutional requirement, Mrs Banana started receiving her monthly pension as a former First Lady and upon her return she received a windfall as she had been away and had not been able to get her monthly pay out.
“Discussions around Mrs Bananas’ pensions were made and she was now receiving her monthly pensions which she had not received during the First Republic. Most importantly were issues around her health, when she came back, she was struggling with a kidney ailment and she had to do dialysis twice a week and had to be seen by a physician and all that was taken care of by the State.
“She had to be admitted in hospital and all costs were taken care of by the State. In fact, when the former First Lady came, she did not have a vehicle and the First Lady actually got a vehicle for her use (Ford Everest). The Government also provided a security aide to drive aher around and also to provide security for her,” said Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
Before she passed on, Mrs Misihairabwi-Mushonga said President Mnangagwa had made a commitment that he would buy her a house.
“She was living in Luveve suburb and when the First Lady visited her and subsequently when the President came to pay his condolences on the passing on of her son Micheal, he publicly said a house must be found for her. Unfortunately, she passed on when the house had not been bought. We had made an application for a farm and again it was not a problem for the President,” she said.
She added that the Government had been very supportive despite the delays in acquiring some of her benefits.
“You can see the difference between the First Republic and the Second Republic in terms of the things that were done for her. Of course, as a family and particularly me as a niece, I do raise issues, and I don’t think the things the President wanted done for her were done expeditiously and I have raised my concerns and I will continue to raise my concerns,” she said.
She said, speaking on the welfare of widows of late veterans, Mrs Banana was one of the fortunate ones.
“My aunt was fortunate in that I had access to the President and sometimes he would not have to go to the Government but he would actually go into his personal pocket. There are times he would say to me out of the blue ‘How is Mrs Banana, go and give her this and say it is coming from me’.
“So, for me you can tell the difference between how this particular President has decided to deal with widows and being a widow myself. I know the problems that are associated with being a widow in an African context. I think finding a President who is prepared or who goes out of his way to be supportive is good and we are fortunate that it is not only the President, his wife is very sensitive to those issues and we have been very fortunate that we have that kind of set up,” she said.-@NyembeziMu
