Tsvangirai back home next week: Party

MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora

The former prime minister, now aged 64, was “on the advice of his doctors” rushed to South Africa for treatment after being taken ill.

He underwent surgery for the undisclosed ailment on May 20 and has remained in the neighbouring country since.

However, MDC-T secretary general for the party Douglas Mwonzora said Wednesday that his boss was “recuperating well in South Africa” where he is said to be staying with a friend.

Mwonzora told NewZimbabwe.com that said Tsvangirai would likely return home next week as doctors have indicated that he was out of danger.

“Our President is very much well; he is out of danger and is doing very well and out of hospital.

“I spoke to him this morning (Wednesday) and we are very happy about his improvement. He is in good health now and maybe coming home next week,” Mwonzora said.

Tsvangirai had appeared to have lost weight as he led his party’s anti-government demonstration in Harare last month, but the opposition leader dismissed reports he was unwell as speculative; insisting he was “as fit as a fiddle”.

In a statement he issued while still hospitalized in South Africa, the MDC-T leader urged supporters not to worry about him, saying they should instead forge ahead in making Zimbabwe better as it was in a very “perilous state”.

“It is the country that we all love that needs urgent healing,” he said.

“It is our country that must be the biggest worry for all of us, not only for our personal sake, but for the sake of the legacy we must leave behind for future generations.”