Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has died in South Africa, a senior official in his MDC party has said. Mr Tsvangirai, 65, a former prime minister, had reportedly been suffering from colon cancer, according to the BBC.
“He died this evening. The family communicated this to me,” MDC vice president Elias Mudzuri, told Reuters. Mr Tsvangirai’s career was marked by a long political struggle against former President Robert Mugabe. He had been beaten and imprisoned numerous times.
Announcing Mr Tsvangirai’s death, Mr Mudzuri said on Twitter that the MDC had “lost our icon and fighter for democracy”.
Mr Tsvangirai founded the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) in 2000, repeatedly challenging Mr Mugabe during the ex-president’s long grip on power.
