Morgan Tsvangirai

Morgan Tsvangirai (2009)

Morgan Richard Tsvangirai (pronunciation in Shona : [ts͎aŋ.ɡi.ra.i]; born March 10, 1952 in Buhera ; † February 14, 2018 in Johannesburg , South Africa ) was a Zimbabwean politician . From February 11, 2009 to July 31, 2013 he was Prime Minister of the country. The former union leader was also chairman of the long-standing opposition party Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai (MDC-T, German  Movement for Democratic Change ).

Life

Tsvangirai was born in 1952 as the eldest son of a bricklayer. In 1999 he helped found the MDC. He was one of the sharpest critics of the autocratic ruler Robert Mugabe ( ZANU-PF ). Tsvangirai achieved his greatest political triumph in 2000 when his MDC won half of the votes in the general election. After the elections, however, there was a rift within the opposition, so that Mugabe, in contrast to the divided opposition, ultimately emerged stronger from the elections.

Since then, there have been more and more massive human rights violations against Tsvangirai and other party members: There were physical injuries, close associates of Tsvangirai were killed and he himself had to answer to court several times for high treason. In 2005 the MDC split up; subsequently Tsvangirai led the larger party MDC-T, where "T" stands for his last name. On March 11, 2007, after his arrest in connection with a dissident demonstration by police officers, he was severely ill-treated, with a fractured skull. He was released a few days later.

In the presidential election in March 2008, Tsvangirai ran against incumbent Mugabe and the independent candidate Simba Makoni . Tsvangirai saw himself clearly ahead in early April 2008 and initially rejected a runoff election favored by Mugabe. This had become necessary because, according to the controversial official result, no candidate had achieved an absolute majority. On May 9, he agreed to take part in the runoff election under certain conditions, but withdrew his candidacy on June 22 because of increasing violence against supporters of the MDC.

At the beginning of September 2008, Mugabe and Tsvangirai agreed on a power-sharing arrangement through the mediation of South African President Thabo Mbeki . The persecuted opposition leader should be involved in the government. A corresponding agreement was signed on September 15, 2008 at an official ceremony. Negotiations over the allocation of key ministries lasted months; on February 11, 2009 Tsvangirai was sworn in as prime minister.

On March 6, 2009, the Tsvangirai couple's car collided with the truck of an aid organization on the way to an election rally in Buhera. Tsvangirai was seriously injured in the accident and his wife Susan died at the scene of the accident. His daughter Vimbai Tsvangirai-Java also died in a traffic accident in June 2019.

On September 15, 2012, Tsvangirai married Elizabeth Macheka, 25 years his junior, according to traditional law in order to circumvent a civil marriage ban brought against him by his former partner Locarida Karimatsenga at the Supreme Court. Macheka is a daughter of ZANU-PF politician Joseph Macheka, then mayor of the city of Chitungwiza .

In the 2013 elections, Tsvangirai's party lost massive votes; Tsvangirai became the opposition leader.

Tsvangirai died in South Africa in February 2018 at the age of 65 of complications from colon cancer . A few days before his death, he named Nelson Chamisa as his successor.

Web links

Commons : Morgan Tsvangirai  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

1. ^ Zimbabwe's Morgan Tsvangirai dies at SA Hospital
2. ↑ ^{a b} Michael Bitala . In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , March 14, 2007, p. 4.
3. ^ Zimbabwean voters-elect president . BBC News
4. ↑ Celia W. Dugger: Rival Resists Zimbabwe Runoff, Saying He Won. In: nytimes.com. April 6, 2008, accessed January 8, 2017 . 
5. ^ Government crisis in Zimbabwe: Mugabe opponent surrenders to the violence. In: Spiegel Online . June 22, 2008, accessed February 15, 2018 . 
6. ^ Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai sworn in as new Prime Minister. In: Spiegel Online . February 11, 2009, accessed January 8, 2017 . 
7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDuW-lKnvmc
8. ↑ tos .: Tsvangirai injured in accident. In: FAZ.net . March 6, 2009, accessed January 8, 2017 . 
9. ↑ Morgan Tsvangirai's daughter dies. News24, June 11, 2019.
10. ↑ ^{a b c} Markus M. Haefliger: Foolish wedding in Zimbabwe - the head of government circumvents a marriage ban . In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung . No. 216 . Zurich September 17, 2012, p. 16 .
11. ↑ Tsvangirai anoints Chamisa. newsday.co.zw of February 8, 2018, accessed June 4, 2018