Three memorable quotes from the late Morgan Tsvangirai
The leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition party, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai, has passed away last night.
The opposition leader had been suffering from cancer, and died in a Johannesburg hospital. He was 65 years old.
Tributes have poured in, with Zimbabweans and supporters around the world sending their condolences.
Tsvangirai by no means had an easy political career, as his main aim was to beat former Zimbabwe and Zanu PF president Robert Mugabe, to end his tyrannical reign over the region.
He came close to beating Mugabe in 2008, despite intimidation, and became a popular political figure in Zimbabwe’s urban areas.
His first wife, Susan, passed away after a car they were travelling was hit by a truck. This occurred just days before the government of national unity was to be sworn in.
Zimbabwe analyst and academic, Brian Raftopoulos, summed up Tsvangirai’s character perfectly: “”He was beaten, tortured, imprisoned, exiled and yet he still retained a real basic humanity and a wonderful sense of humour. Tsvangirai was a really warm human being.”
To honour his unfailing dedication to Zimbabwe’s movement to free its people from a dictatorship, The Citizen has chosen three quotes from Tsvangirai that will stay with us forever, and inspire future politicians in the region.
On the launch of his book: From the day I was born, there has always existed a huge disconnect between the stories often told by the elite and those I hear from ordinary people about our country although we live in the places; and witness the same events around us.
On Mugabe’s reign: What we want to tell you Mugabe today is that please go peacefully, if you do not go peacefully, we will remove you violently. We want peace in this country and we want national healing.
On serving the people of Zimbabwe: We do not want to put people deliberately in harm’s way because of the current lack of accountability in government.
Watch Morgan Tsvangirai’s address to the masses outside Zimbabwe’s Parliament:
Sources: IOL, 3-MOB.com, SABC Digital News (YouTube)
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