Inside Tsvangirai’s Valentine’s Day tragedy

... as widow Elizabeth breaks silence

THE late former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai defied all odds in his dramatic love life. While his abhorrence for Zanu PF is well documented, the decorated staunch democrat scripted a love plot fit for a romantic blockbuster movie by marrying the daughter of a senior ruling party official and the two appeared happy together such that his demise on a day love is celebrated, Valentine’s Day, may be a bitter pill to swallow for his widow Elizabeth Macheka.

Tsvangirai breathed his last at a South African hospital on Valentine’s Day in 2018, plunging the country into mourning and in the process thrusting the country’s opposition politics into turmoil.

The late founding MDC leader had pulled a stunning stunt by ignoring criticism and compromising his political career by marrying the daughter of a Zanu PF stalwart. Talk of love being blind. Tsvangirai shot his cupid’s arrow into Zanu PF’s den three years after mourning his first wife, Susan Tsvangirai, who died in a car accident along the Harare-Masvingo Highway.

Six years on since Tsvangirai joined his ancestors, his second wife Elizabeth still carries the title Tsvangirai and in her own words, misses the tough-talking former opposition leader whom she described as romantic.

In a short Valentine’s Day message, Macheka, who has kept away from media glare ever since the passing on of her husband, says she finds happiness in memories of the good times she had with him.

She deeply misses him.

“Today (February 14) marks six years since my late husband’s passing. As we honour his memory on his death anniversary which also happened to fall on Valentine’s Day, I find solace in the beautiful moments we shared and his love that continues to guide me,” she said.

The late trade unionist’s story with Elizabeth rivals renowned British author William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet script, in which Romeo, from the Montague family, and Juliet from the Capulet clan decide to fall in love.

The two Italian families happened to be feuding — just as Zanu PF and MDC were back then — when Romeo and Juliet met and decided to marry in a story that, however, ended in a tragedy.

“Your presence is deeply missed Save (Tsvangirai’s totem), but your spirit lives on in the cherished memories we shared that I still hold dear. Forever in my heart, forever my love and Valentine,” Elizabeth added.

In Beitbridge, one of Tsvangirai’s key subordinates and namesake, Morgan Ncube, said February 14 should be renamed Morgan Richard Tsvangirai Day.

“Today (February 14), we celebrate the life of Father Democracy, a true revolutionary and a son of the soil, president Morgan Richard Tsvangirai. As we celebrate love this week, president Tsvangirai displayed love for Zimbabwe throughout his life,” Ncube said.

“He fought the regime to ensure that the suffering masses of our people are free. President Tsvangirai taught us politics of principle over privilege. We strive to stand on principle to defend the struggle of our people. Happy Morgan Tsvangirai Day fellow Zimbabweans.

“In honour of our icon, we named one of our Beitbridge Roads after his name, we will miss him and may his soul continue resting in peace and power.”

Tsvangirai, probably the most powerful opposition leader to emerge in post-independent Zimbabwe who formed the Movement For Democratic Change in 1999 and put a fierce and consistent challenge to the late former President

Robert Mugabe, died at the Donald Gordon Medical Centre in Johannesburg, where he was being treated for cancer.

Tsvangirai’s death anniversary messages on Wednesday this week ran neck and neck with the Valentine’s Day messages on most social media platforms, with many people reflecting on the illustrious political life of the opposition leader whose approach was different from present day political leaders.

Despite being less educated than his juniors, Tsvangirai was able to create a formidable team of educated youths, among them present day opposition proponents Nelson Chamisa, Job Sikhala, Tendai Biti, Elias Mudzuri and Thokozani Khupe, to name a few.

Through protests and resistance, he forced Mugabe into a Government of National Unity after “losing” a general election he is believed to have actually won resoundingly.

Though Elizabeth could not be drawn to comment on different issues, February 14 remains a unique Day to her as she celebrates the love her late beloved husband showered her with.

For her, the day when love is celebrated will forever be etched in her heart.