Tsvangirai leaves for medical treatment in SA

AILING opposition Movement for Democratic Change president Mr Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday left the country for South Africa for a routine medical checkup.

His spokesman Mr Luke Tamborinyoka said Mr Tsvangirai, who is battling cancer of the colon, left soon after President Emmerson Mnangagwa made a courtesy call to see the MDC-T leader who has not been well for some time.

In a statement, Mr Tamborinyoka said:

fighting in his party, with growing calls for him to step down by party bigwigs who believe his condition makes it difficult for him to endure the rigours of an election campaign.

He has insisted, however, that he will be fit enough to fight it out at the election.

Zimbabwe is scheduled to go to the polls by midyear.

“President Mnangagwa came just as President Tsvangirai was about to leave the country for his routine medical checkup.

“We thank President Mnangagwa for his gesture to come and pay a visit to the former Prime Minister of the land. We thank him for his gesture, which is in keeping with our African culture.

“In the 45-minute closed door meeting, President Mnangagwa, was accompanied by Vice President Chiwenga.

“The two leaders discussed the current dire situation in the country, the plight of the people, the cash crisis

In his inauguration speech on November 24 last year, President Mnangagwa called for unity and tolerance among Zimbabweans irrespective of their political differences.

President Mnangagwa also urged Zimbabweans to find strength in their diversity and act in a manner afflicting the country, the urgency of free and fair elections to ensure a return to legitimacy as well as the need to engage the international community so that the country rejoins the family of nations.

“The two also discussed other issues of national importance”.

He said in Mr Tsvangirai’s absence, Vice president Elias Mudzuri was acting MDC-T president while the other two Vice presidents would be in charge of their assigned tasks; with VP Khupe in charge of party administration while VP Chamisa would continue to drive the MDC alliance and the party’s policy programme.

beneficial to the generality of the people, adding that the toxic and polarising politics of the past should be discarded.

Mr Tsvangirai was among several opposition leaders that attended President Mnangagwa’s swearing-in ceremony on November 24 last year to replace former President Robert Mugabe.