Tsvangirai's illness feed into speculation he has a terminal illness

MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai is seriously ill and yesterday failed to show for his second consecutive rally in Harare.

Party supporters at Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield waited more than four hours for Mr Tsvangirai, and faction acting secretary-general Mr Tapiwa Mashakada had to, for the second week running, stand in for Mr Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai's spokesperson, Mr Luke Tamborinyoka, told journalists that his boss was under the weather, but did not elaborate.

Although  Tamborinyoka refused to divulge the nature of the ailment, speculation was rife that Tsvangirai was allegedly suffering from a critical ailment after he inexplicably missed another rally held in Glen View last week.

This has fed into speculation, which began before the 2013 elections, that Mr Tsvangirai had a terminal illness.

"All what I can tell you at the moment is that we have received a message from the president's doctor that he cannot come," Mr Tamborinyoka said.

"He needs to rest. It is important for his health that he rests and that he should not come here.

"I think you must understand the delicacy of the moment. It is a health issue. The doctor says he must rest."

MDC-T organising secretary Mr Nelson Chamisa was harangued by the crowd who wanted to know where Mr Tsvangirai was after he gave them an explanation that did not satisfy them.

"Vamwe vanenge vachitambudzika nekugumbuka asi ngatiratidzei ruremekedzo kuna president wedu nekuti vanenge vane nhume yavatuma (When you see things turning out like this it means there are circumstances beyond our control)," said Chamisa.

"Kana maona zvadai zvinoreva kuti pane zvinenge zvamanikidzira zvakakosha. We do not organise disappointments but when extenuating circumstances are so contrary to our wishes there is nothing we can do."

He said MDC-T supporters should not panic because Tsvangirai was in a stable condition.