WHAT was supposed to be an occasion to celebrate a marriage of a Harare couple suddenly turned into a funeral when the bride died on her wedding day, last Saturday, at Harare Hospital – a day after she gave birth through a Caesarean operation. Siboniso Zinyengere died as relatives and guests prepared to converge at the Reserve Bank’s Sports Club in Harare for the wedding reception. She was due to tie the knot with Truman Muungani. Siboniso (20) was pregnant and went into labour on Thursday last week. She was taken to Harare Hospital where, the following day, she gave birth to a baby boy, Munyaradzi, by Caesarean section. Siboniso, Truman and their families had decided the marriage would go ahead while she was recuperating in hospital. Truman and Siboniso would exchange vows by her hospital bed. According to the arrangements, Siboniso’s sister would wear the wedding dress as a stand-in at the wedding reception. Back home, the bridesmaids and groom were already dressed up and ready to leave for the Reserve Bank Sports Club when disaster struck. As members of the wedding party prepared to drive off at about 11am, the joyous mood was suddenly interrupted by loud and piercing cries. “At first, we were confused,” said Peter Ncube, Siboniso’s cousin. “People suddenly started crying. I thought maybe Siboniso’s son had died in hospital. But no, we later learnt it was Siboniso.” A dark cloud descended on the Zinyengere family’s home in Avondale, Harare, snuffing out merrymaking in a flash, Ncube said. Lawrence Zinyengere, Siboniso’s father, said he could not contain his emotions on hearing the sad news.
“I just tore up the new suit I was wearing,” he said. Immediately, the wedding was converted into a funeral. The food which had been prepared for what would have been a happy event, was carted off to Avondale for a totally different and sad occasion. -Conrad Nyamutata, The Daily News
17