A dark cloud engulfed the country in the early evening hours of the ‘day of love’ February 14 as news of the passing on of the champion and icon of democracy Morgan Richard Tsvangirai filtered. Tsvangirai leaves an indelible footprint in the fight for democracy. In death Tsvangirai who succumbed to colon cancer was saluted even by those who caused him and his supporters untold suffering over the years since the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change in 1999.
Described as an icon and one who transformed the political profile of Zimbabwe since 1999, the demise of this larger than life figure saw Zimbabwe witness words of praise from the most unlikely quarters but what was clear was that Tsvangirai’s passing united Zimbabweans as they mourned him. The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) acknowledges Tsvangirai’s contribution to democracy and also reflects on the multitudes of victims the organisation has had to profile and refer for assistance, their crime being the holding of divergent views.
As the 2018 harmonised elections draw closer, according to a roadmap released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), expected anytime between July 21 and August 22, 2018, what is happening in political parties is disturbing as it does not by any measure foretell free, fair and credible elections. The death of Tsvangirai heightened tensions in the opposition MDC-T as the Vice Presidents jostled for the ultimate position in the ‘cockpit’ which saw his funeral marred by ugly incidents of violence and rowdiness.
See full report: ZPP February MMR 2018
Post published in: Featured