As the nation and the entire Southern Africa mourn the passing on of MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai, the hope of an emerging democracy in Zimbabwe is not dead. The spirit and commitment to keep the hopes of a new democracy were shown by the current changes taking place, which were initiated by Tsvangirai. He leaves it to us to complete his mission.
By Enos Denhere,Our Reader
The time for mourning this great man should coincide with serious reflection and celebration of the legacy that he build for us. His death, coming as it does at a relatively middle age, should encourage us to always to groom young people to understudy our creative endeavours.
This is nearly what he did by building a team of successors, who will light the torch of democracy and possible inspire a special field of study into his model of nationhood and governance.
There is a strong sense of humility that marks his life from gentle transition from trade unionism to active politics. Lessons learnt are that an opposition politician can produce great impact in Parliament and outside government and yet still remain relevant to the body politic.
He managed to draw interesting parallels between his movement and other great opposition groups in the world. His networking and diplomatic capabilities were sharpened by passion and a deep sense of love for mankind. Being at the helm of the main opposition in Zimbabwe also translated into a global understanding of humble opposition leaders and how to deal with internal and external conflicts.
Since opening the broad chapters of democracy in Zimbabwe, no other leader has lived a life like Tsvangirai — full of mixtures; twists and turns and serious disappointments along the way. It is interesting to note that he managed to score remarkable successes as prime minister amid serious setbacks that he managed to overcome.
As we lay him to rest, let us energise ourselves to ensure that his legacy lives on in our nation. And indeed we must emulate this great leader to strengthen our democracy.
