The death of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga led to an outpouring of tributes and the influx of foreign dignitaries including Elizabeth Macheka, the widow of former Zimbabwean Prime Minister the late Morgan Tsvangirai.
Macheka first made a public appearance at Raila’s home in Bondo on Saturday, October 18, when she accompanied Mama Ida Odinga during a press briefing at Opoda Farm.
Many were wowed by her simple long-flowing black dress and stunning looks, with her well-beat makeup adding an extra layer of beauty that did not go unnoticed.
While expressing her condolences, she referenced Raila’s close relationship to her late husband, citing it as the reason behind the bond shared by the two families.
On Sunday, during Raila’s burial, Macheka stole the show with Kenyans online quick to point out her beauty and fashion sense at the solemn event.
Macheka was dressed in a black long, bodycon gown, complimented with black heels, a black fascinator and dark sunglasses. She coupled this with modest earrings, a classy watch and red lipstick to go with the make up on her face.
Her look, though simple, was effortlessly elegant, accentuating her physique and presence. This was a particular talking point among netizens, who praised both her classy outfit and her natural grace.
Who is Elizabeth Macheka Tsvangirai
Elizabeth Macheka Tsvangirai is a Zimbabwean businesswoman. Many know her as the widow of Morgan Tsvangirai, the former prime minister of Zimbabwe and founding leader of the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
Born in 1976, Macheka is the daughter to Joseph Macheka, a well-known Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) politician and former mayor of Chitungwiza, a city near the Zimbabwean capital of Harare.
Despite coming from a well-known family, Macheka gained more fame after marrying Tsvangirai 2012, in a high-profile wedding held in Harare. Their union came after Tsvangirai’s first wife, Susan Tsvangirai, died in a car crash in 2009.
Their marriage was controversial, with the 25-year age gap between them (Tsvangirai 60, Macheka 35) a huge talking point at the time.
Furthermore, the Roman Catholic Church refused to officiate the ceremony due to disputes concerning Tsvangirai’s alleged previous relationships, including a legal challenge initiated by Locadia Karimatsenga, one of Tsvangirai’s former partners, who claimed to still be married to him under customary law.
Consequently, Tsvangirai and Macheka's marriage was a traditional customary one.
Their differing political backgrounds, also hang a dark cloud on their union, with supporters of Tsvangirai’s MDC divided as Macheka’s father had a strong ZANU-PF inclination. Some accused her of being a political plant, a narrative she denied strongly.
Despite these challenges, Macheka remained by Tsvangirai’s side until he died of colon cancer in February 2018. At the time of his death, Macheka did not have any children with Tsvangirai. However, the former PM was a father of six from his previous marriage to Susan.
Still, Macheka has children of her own from a previous relationship, before she married Tsvangirai. Reports indicate she has two children, though she has kept them out of the public eye and their names are not widely known.
Since Tsvangirai’s demise, Macheka has largely kept a low profile choosing to focus on her business ventures in retail and catering.
Occasionally, she makes public appearances or statements commemorating her late husband and advocating for peace, unity, and respect for his legacy.
Even so, Macheka is active on social media, particularly Instagram, where she is known to love posting her pet dogs, play golf, and spend time with her family.
