'Tsvangirai asked for poll delay'

Ailing opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai reportedly asked President Emmerson Mnangagwa to postpone general elections by three years ostensibly because lack of electoral reforms was likely to undermine the credibility of the 2018 general poll result.

Tsvangirai, 65, reportedly tabled the proposal to postpone elections to Mnangagwa, 75, when the new president and his deputy Constantino Chiwenga made an impromptu but welcome gesture to check on the social democrat, who has dominated Zimbabwe opposition politics since the formation of MDC in 1999.

Mnangagwa's spokesperson George Charamba, said his boss was awaiting formal submissions from the opposition on the "legal issues" the MDC leader wanted addressed in relation to his proposal to delay the 2018 elections.

Meanwhile, divisions in MDC-T have resulted in Mr Morgan Tsvangirai's family electing to issue statements regarded his health through acting President Engineer Elias Mudzuri, and not through his spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka. Mr Tsvangirai has been in and out of the country for treatment for colon cancer.

The opposition leader on Monday threw his party into turmoil after he hinted that he could retire from active politics. Mr Tsvangirai's statement revived factional fights from lieutenants angling to succeed him, with his deputies Dr Thokozani Khupe and Mr Nelson Chamisa leading rival camps.

Divisions in the party became apparent after Mr Tamborinyoka and party publicist Mr Obert Gutu attacked each other on social media as they issued conflicting statements regarding Mr Tsvangirai.