Opinion / Columnist
A gallant hero of our time Morgan Tsvangirai will be greatly missed
15 Feb 2018 at 07:03hrs | Views
When the sad news of Morgan Tsvangirai's death started filtering around 2000hrs on the 14th day of Febraury 2018, I could not believe what I was reading.
Morgan Tsvangirai died in a private hospital in South Africa Johannesburg where he was receiving treatment and suffering from colon of cancer. He was 65.
Everybody was hoping for a miracle but the reality was too hard to bear. He was a legend an icon, a champion of democracy and will be greatly missed in the Zimbabwean politics.
Morgan Tsvangirai was so brave and his love to fight for the ordinary people surpassed that of many politicians in Zimbabwe. At one time he was a powerful and outspoken Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union Secretary General who fought for the rights of the workers in Zimbabwe. He spoke of democracy and always connected with the masses.
In one of his speeches he passionately spoke about the shortage of salt around year 2000 and his speech was so touching that it resonated well with the poor and the marginalised. He was so much in touch with the reality of the ordinary communities and would visit such places.
He walked from his residential place into town following a fuel crisis that has once affected the country. He could call the multitude of people to stay away from work and the people would listen to him causing a total shutdown of the country setting him as a real powerful opposition force against the establishment.
He survived endless fights and near misses in election frauds. He shaped Zimbabwe's politics for the past 20 or so years with new political parties coming into fray. He was a humble politician An icon par excellent leader, down to earth politician, who connected easily with people. He endured so many tragedies in his life and survived a road accident which claimed his beloved wife Susan Tsvangirai.
He battled and fought the colon of cancer which ultimately took his life with the same courage which he used to fight the repressive government of Robert Mugabe.
The fortress of the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe and beyond Africa has fallen.The giant father of undiluted democracy, the people's hero is gone. His dream will live in our lives forever and shall materialize in our lifetime.
Dr Morgan Tsvangirai made the majority of Zimbabweans believe that, with sheer determination and brevity change was possible and achievable.
His courage to fight for change was also realistic. He was such a bundle of bravery during all his political career. His approach to politics was second to none. He shaped the party MDC- T into one of the strongest and formidable opposition political entity which gave the ruling party a good run of their money. He was a unifier and glued the party together despite the negative forces.
I can vividly remember when he was beaten at Zimbabwe Grounds in Hghfield where he had gone for a rally and suffered some bruises all over his head. He was brought at Borrowdale Police and I was on duty, then the late Susan Tsvangirai came and gave him some food. I was touched by his gesture. He shared the food with fellow detainees in the cells. I changed the red blankets as usual and apparently the regime which has brought him at the station were not happy on why I changed the blankets. They hated him but he remained resolute. Though the late Edgar Tekere was the first to say Mugabe must go but I give credit to Morgan Tsvangirai who polished and sharpened the idea till his death. He was man of the people.
How will the future generations see this unique, selfless, humble and visionary leader? How best it would be for the people to reach the full capacity and taste of democracy? His life was one of the rare gifts Zimbabwe has ever had. His vision shall sustain the remainder of the struggle for real emancipation of change in a free democratic Zimbabwe. Morgan Tsvangirai's death has left a void which is hard to replace. We mourn, we fear but we hold on to what he was fighting for. It is really a huge blow to the MDC-T party and the entire country.He fought a good battle. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Go well, famba zvakanaka, hamba kahle.
Contacts
Facebook- Leonard Koni
Twitter-@Leokoni
Whatsapp-+27747402042
E-mail-konileonard606@gmail.com
Morgan Tsvangirai died in a private hospital in South Africa Johannesburg where he was receiving treatment and suffering from colon of cancer. He was 65.
Everybody was hoping for a miracle but the reality was too hard to bear. He was a legend an icon, a champion of democracy and will be greatly missed in the Zimbabwean politics.
Morgan Tsvangirai was so brave and his love to fight for the ordinary people surpassed that of many politicians in Zimbabwe. At one time he was a powerful and outspoken Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union Secretary General who fought for the rights of the workers in Zimbabwe. He spoke of democracy and always connected with the masses.
In one of his speeches he passionately spoke about the shortage of salt around year 2000 and his speech was so touching that it resonated well with the poor and the marginalised. He was so much in touch with the reality of the ordinary communities and would visit such places.
He walked from his residential place into town following a fuel crisis that has once affected the country. He could call the multitude of people to stay away from work and the people would listen to him causing a total shutdown of the country setting him as a real powerful opposition force against the establishment.
He survived endless fights and near misses in election frauds. He shaped Zimbabwe's politics for the past 20 or so years with new political parties coming into fray. He was a humble politician An icon par excellent leader, down to earth politician, who connected easily with people. He endured so many tragedies in his life and survived a road accident which claimed his beloved wife Susan Tsvangirai.
He battled and fought the colon of cancer which ultimately took his life with the same courage which he used to fight the repressive government of Robert Mugabe.
The fortress of the struggle for democracy in Zimbabwe and beyond Africa has fallen.The giant father of undiluted democracy, the people's hero is gone. His dream will live in our lives forever and shall materialize in our lifetime.
Dr Morgan Tsvangirai made the majority of Zimbabweans believe that, with sheer determination and brevity change was possible and achievable.
His courage to fight for change was also realistic. He was such a bundle of bravery during all his political career. His approach to politics was second to none. He shaped the party MDC- T into one of the strongest and formidable opposition political entity which gave the ruling party a good run of their money. He was a unifier and glued the party together despite the negative forces.
I can vividly remember when he was beaten at Zimbabwe Grounds in Hghfield where he had gone for a rally and suffered some bruises all over his head. He was brought at Borrowdale Police and I was on duty, then the late Susan Tsvangirai came and gave him some food. I was touched by his gesture. He shared the food with fellow detainees in the cells. I changed the red blankets as usual and apparently the regime which has brought him at the station were not happy on why I changed the blankets. They hated him but he remained resolute. Though the late Edgar Tekere was the first to say Mugabe must go but I give credit to Morgan Tsvangirai who polished and sharpened the idea till his death. He was man of the people.
How will the future generations see this unique, selfless, humble and visionary leader? How best it would be for the people to reach the full capacity and taste of democracy? His life was one of the rare gifts Zimbabwe has ever had. His vision shall sustain the remainder of the struggle for real emancipation of change in a free democratic Zimbabwe. Morgan Tsvangirai's death has left a void which is hard to replace. We mourn, we fear but we hold on to what he was fighting for. It is really a huge blow to the MDC-T party and the entire country.He fought a good battle. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Go well, famba zvakanaka, hamba kahle.
Contacts
Facebook- Leonard Koni
Twitter-@Leokoni
Whatsapp-+27747402042
E-mail-konileonard606@gmail.com
Source - Leonard Koni
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