Leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition party,Tvasangirai dies after battle with cancer

By Ifeanyi Onyekere Mandela

The leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, Morgan Tvasangirai died in South Africa on Wednesday 14th, after a battle with cancer.

His death came barely eight days after he was diagnosed of colon cancer.

The 65 year old Tvsangirai who founded the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC in 2000 fought against one of the Africa’s most powerful and power sit-tight presidents, Robort Mugabe who was ousted in a dramatic coup in December 2017 after his suspension by his Zanu-PF party over allegations that he wanted to foist his wife, Grace as on the party as his successor.

Mr. Tvsangirai challenged the erstwhile president Mugabe who has been in power since the country’s independent in 1980. Tvsangirai garnered 47.8% above Mugabe who scored 43.2%. He later refused to take part in the second run off claiming that the results had been altered in the months before they were announced. According to BBC reports , “In the 2008 election, Mr Tsvangirai gained the most votes in the first round , but not enough to win outright.” This brought about political stalemate in the politically fragile country adjudged as one of the poorest in the continent.

Following condemnations from different countries and international bodies, a power sharing agreement deal was reached in 2008 in which Tvsangirai would serve as prime minister. His landslide lost to Mugabe in 2013 election further deepened division and uprise against the government.

The father of seven lost his first wife Susan Mhundwa in a road accident which he too was involved in 2009. He married Elizabeth Macheka in 2011.

There have been cracks in the MDC, but the death of it’s leader would pose another challenge especially in this year’s election against the ruling Zanu-Pf party.