LOCADIA Karimatsenga Tembo’s family has insisted she is still married to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and will continue to reside at his Buhera rural homestead in Manicaland province.

Tsvangirai said in a statement last week that he was terminating his relationship with the 39-year-old Tembo – who is said to be pregnant with their twins -- due to interference by the media and secret police.

The MDC-T leader claimed the saga had been “choreographed to inflict maximum damage on his person and character for political gain” and indicated he did not consider himself married.

His spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, told the Voice of America's Studio 7 that Tsvangirai had communicated his position to the Karimatsenga family and now considered the matter closed.

But the Karimatsengas angrily dismissed Tsvangirai’s claims adding Locadia would remain in Buhera where she is living with the prime minister’s mother.

"We did not invite the prime minister to marry our daughter. He came alone and we are wondering why he is not telling the truth," Karimatsenga family spokesman Simba Shopera told the South Africa-based Sunday Times newspaper.

"Do you think we are fools as a family, just because we have been quiet? Do you think we invited the press to come and see our daughter being married to Tsvangirai? Do you think we embedded the CIO or Zanu PF?" asked an angry Shopera.

"Time will tell the truth. This is a Tsvangirai and Karimatsenga issue, a private family matter, not an MDC prime minister's office issue. Ask Manase and Zvaipa what happened on November 21."

The pair are said to have been part of a delegation which conducted traditional marriage formalities at the Karimatsenga homestead on November 18 in Christon Bank near Mazowe, triggering off the storm.

"Ask them where Locadia is right now. She is with her husband and they know that. The last time we heard from her was when she was going to Buhera to see her in-laws. I hope she is safe there."