Tsvangirai ran his race, fought a good fight

Source: Tsvangirai ran his race, fought a good fight – NewsDay Zimbabwe February 16, 2018

THE death of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai has robbed the country of a colossal figure in the fight for democracy.

Tsvangirai took up the fight for democracy when Zimbabwe was still inebriated in the one-party State mantra.

 

As the secretary-general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Tsvangirai helped extricate the labour union from the clutches of Zanu PF and laid foundations for democracy.

Without Tsvangirai and his colleagues in the opposition, Zimbabwe was ambling to being the one-party State that Zanu PF had always dreamt of and for this fight for democracy, the country will always be grateful for their efforts.

Like any mortal, Tsvangirai had his faults, like the regrettable MDC split of 2005, which all but ensured that he would never win the country’s Presidency.

There were other splits to follow and his private life was sometimes the fodder of tabloids and mainstream newspapers.

The failure to unite the MDCs in 2008 put paid to any chances of an opposition victory.

But the good far outweighs the bad and the country has been robbed of a democratic champion who fought doggedly for what he believed in.

That tributes have been flowing from all sides of the political divide is testament to Tsvangirai’s giant status; he was an irrepressible figure and his opponents cannot afford to ignore him in life and in death.

Thus, the baton has been passed to those who are still alive and the only way to honour Tsvangirai’s legacy is to ensure that the struggle and fight for democracy does not die with him.

It is imperative that his party, MDC-T, and anyone who believes in a just, open and democratic Zimbabwe should bear the torch and continue to push the government to implement reforms that will make the country a democracy to be envied by its neighbours.

The road to democracy is long, winding and treacherous, but Tsvangirai had the wisdom to realise that this was a path that had to be taken and now the onus is on his colleagues to finish the journey.

Like the biblical Moses, Tsvangirai did not see the promised land, but there is need for a Joshua to continue with the great trek and certainly, one day, Zimbabwe shall have an enviable democracy.

Tsvangirai has run his race, he fought a good fight.

May his soul rest in eternal peace!