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Mnangagwa keeps Tsvangirai family guessing
03 May 2019 at 07:27hrs | Views
A day before the country remembers one of its most iconic sons, the late Morgan Tsvangirai, President Emmerson Mnangagwa is yet to decide on whether or not attend the memorial service where the family has banned the MDC regalia.
The family of the late MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai invited both President Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF party to the former Prime Minister's memorial.
Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer of the colon last year and his memorial is finally going to be held in his rural home on May 4 in Buhera where he was buried.
Despite having dedicated his life to fighting Zanu-PF, Tsvangirai's family said they would like Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF to attend.
Before his death, Mnangagwa and other senior government officials paid a courtesy call on Tsvangirai at his house in Harare.
He was also given a State assisted funeral.
MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the party has no problem with Zanu-PF or any other person attending the memorial of their founding leader.
The Tsvangirai family said it will not allow wearing of party regalia at the memorial service for the former Prime Minister in Buhera at the weekend.
"The emphasis is that we have invited everyone; this is not a partisan thing and on top of that we expect people to come putting what reminds us of Morgan Tsvangirai," Manase said while addressing journalists at Tsvangirai's Strathaven house in Harare.
"There is no any other regalia that should be put on except that of Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. This is a memorial (and) we expect the event to be peaceful in Buhera.
"We are expecting different people from the State departments, different political parties and different people from other institutions," he said.
The family said they expect the event to be peaceful and open to everyone because Tsvangirai worked with almost everyone, including former President Robert Mugabe, who was his main rival during his long political career.
Manase said the family will be leading the proceedings, hence their wishes, especially on regalia, must be respected.
"I think people should actually respect the Tsvangirai family and we are saying it's better you put Morgan Tsvangirai regalia because we are remembering him as a person who has gone before us.
"To the family, I think it will be like an insult to try and put on something that doesn't resemble him. We will encourage people to put on something about Morgan Tsvangirai for those few hours," he said.
Manase said there was no bad blood between the family and the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC leadership.
The family of the late MDC founding president Morgan Tsvangirai invited both President Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu-PF party to the former Prime Minister's memorial.
Tsvangirai succumbed to cancer of the colon last year and his memorial is finally going to be held in his rural home on May 4 in Buhera where he was buried.
Despite having dedicated his life to fighting Zanu-PF, Tsvangirai's family said they would like Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF to attend.
Before his death, Mnangagwa and other senior government officials paid a courtesy call on Tsvangirai at his house in Harare.
He was also given a State assisted funeral.
MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume said the party has no problem with Zanu-PF or any other person attending the memorial of their founding leader.
The Tsvangirai family said it will not allow wearing of party regalia at the memorial service for the former Prime Minister in Buhera at the weekend.
"There is no any other regalia that should be put on except that of Dr Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. This is a memorial (and) we expect the event to be peaceful in Buhera.
"We are expecting different people from the State departments, different political parties and different people from other institutions," he said.
The family said they expect the event to be peaceful and open to everyone because Tsvangirai worked with almost everyone, including former President Robert Mugabe, who was his main rival during his long political career.
Manase said the family will be leading the proceedings, hence their wishes, especially on regalia, must be respected.
"I think people should actually respect the Tsvangirai family and we are saying it's better you put Morgan Tsvangirai regalia because we are remembering him as a person who has gone before us.
"To the family, I think it will be like an insult to try and put on something that doesn't resemble him. We will encourage people to put on something about Morgan Tsvangirai for those few hours," he said.
Manase said there was no bad blood between the family and the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC leadership.
Source - Dailynews
