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Vigil mourns Tsvangirai 'Father of the nation'
18 Feb 2018 at 09:24hrs | Views
The Vigil mourned Morgan Tsvangirai, cornerstone of the MDC since its inception in 1999. His courage inspired all those seeking the restoration of democracy and the rule of law in Zimbabwe.
For two decades he endured everything the Mugabe regime could throw at him: attempts on his life, the murder of his wife Susan, beatings, imprisonment, trumped-up treason charges and constant CIO manoeuvres to undermine him. He became a beacon of resistance around the world. The UK Times newspaper yesterday published a laudatory obituary spreading to two pages. It was a worthy tribute to a great man.
Morgan inspired us as members of the MDC in the UK to launch the Vigil in 2002. We organised public meetings for him in London but fell out with him when we believed he was overriding party structures. (Now is not the time to go into our differences: anyone interested can see our version in the Vigil book 'Zimbabwe Emergency'.)
Despite our differences, the Vigil continued to work with the MDC and MDC members were with us outside the Embassy today to mourn his death. Many were in tears as, dressed in red MDC colours, they laid flowers in an Embassy doorway and sang a farewell in Shona to the old Scottish tune of Auld Lang Syne (times long past).
They left a handwritten placard reading: 'Morgan R Tsvangirai. We salute your courage and heroic determination. The struggle continues. We all revere you father of the nation'.
Vigil founder member and head of our sister organisation ROHR Ephraim Tapa, who helped start the MDC with Morgan, paid this tribute: 'What a life and what a journey! Rest in peace comrade leader Morgan Tsvangirai'. Ephraim recalled how, when he was abducted and put in a torture camp in 2002, the MDC rescued him and put him in a safe house. While there Tsvangirai regularly visited him and the MDC organised his escape from Zimbabwe.
For two decades he endured everything the Mugabe regime could throw at him: attempts on his life, the murder of his wife Susan, beatings, imprisonment, trumped-up treason charges and constant CIO manoeuvres to undermine him. He became a beacon of resistance around the world. The UK Times newspaper yesterday published a laudatory obituary spreading to two pages. It was a worthy tribute to a great man.
Despite our differences, the Vigil continued to work with the MDC and MDC members were with us outside the Embassy today to mourn his death. Many were in tears as, dressed in red MDC colours, they laid flowers in an Embassy doorway and sang a farewell in Shona to the old Scottish tune of Auld Lang Syne (times long past).
They left a handwritten placard reading: 'Morgan R Tsvangirai. We salute your courage and heroic determination. The struggle continues. We all revere you father of the nation'.
Vigil founder member and head of our sister organisation ROHR Ephraim Tapa, who helped start the MDC with Morgan, paid this tribute: 'What a life and what a journey! Rest in peace comrade leader Morgan Tsvangirai'. Ephraim recalled how, when he was abducted and put in a torture camp in 2002, the MDC rescued him and put him in a safe house. While there Tsvangirai regularly visited him and the MDC organised his escape from Zimbabwe.
Source - Zim Vigil
