Tsvangirai’s illness exposes party

Chronicle Correspondent
THE MDC-T’s hypocrisy has been exposed after its leader Morgan Tsvangirai was rushed to South Africa for medical treatment while the party is on record condemning leaders of other parties from being treated abroad.

In statement yesterday, MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora announced that Tsvangirai was on sick leave after being treated for an undisclosed illness in South Africa.

“Early this week our president Morgan Tsvangirai was taken ill. On the advice of his doctors, he had to travel to South Africa for treatment. Yesterday he successfully underwent a medical procedure and is recuperating well in South Africa,” said Mwonzora.

“We’re happy that our president is recovering well and we wish him a speedy recovery. We kindly request the nation and the party to give the president and his family the necessary space and privacy as he recovers. The nation and the media will be kept updated.”

Tsvangirai’s treatment in South Africa comes at a time his party has declared that its members were struggling “like ordinary Zimbabweans.” MDC-T’s national spokesperson Obert Gutu yesterday defended his president saying Tsvangirai was pushed outside the country by the failure by Zanu-PF to provide service delivery.

“You should know that there’s certain specialist medical attention that is not available in Zimbabwe because the Zanu-PF regime has trashed the health delivery system over the past few decades,” said Gutu.

He said the MDC-T was still against leaders obtaining medical treatment outside for ailments that can be treated locally. Gutu did not disclose what Tsvangirai is being treated for saying the information can be obtained from Tsvangirai’s spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka who declined to comment.

“I won’t comment about people’s personal health issues. Although he is a public figure, he deserves his privacy. I just spoke to him and he is in a stable condition. The operation was successful,” he said.