Back to Index

30 000 bid farewell to the late Susan Tsvangirai
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
March 10, 2009

About 30 000 people converged at the Glamis Stadium in Harare to bid farewell to Amai Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai, the wife of MDC President and Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Hon. Morgan Tsvangirai.

Amai Tsvangirai died last Friday when the car that she was in together with her husband was involved in an accident in Beatrice along the Harare-Masvingo highway.

They were travelling from Harare to their rural home in Buhera.

People of all political affiliations and Christian backgrounds converged from all corners of the country to give their last respects to Amai Tsvangirai.

Earlier in the day there was a church service at the Mabelreign Methodist Church were hundreds of worshippers and MDC supporters gathered to send a farewell to Amai Tsvangirai.

Giving a keynote address at Glamis Stadium, MDC Secretary-General and Finance Minister, Hon. Tendai Biti said the question everyone was asking was why this accident had happened.

"Most of us are in pain but the majority of us are so shocked we could not feel the pain," he said.

Hon. Biti said Amai Tsvangirai was an honest and loving grandmother, a Christian, a revolutionary and a mother of the struggle for change and democracy in Zimbabwe.

"She was an activist and revolutionary in her own right. She believed in the same values as her husband in wishing to bring about democratic change in Zimbabwe through a new, people-driven Constitution," he said.

He said despite the hardships that were faced by her husband at the hands of the then Zanu PF regime, Amai Tsvangirai had stood by her husband and given him support and guidance.

"As a result we must take her passing on as an inspiration and must stop feeling pity for ourselves," said Hon. Biti.

Amai Tsvangirai's eldest son, Edwin told the gathering that the Tsvangirai family would not withdraw from the democratic struggle. He said the family remained humbled by the great love shown to them during their hour of grief.

Representatives from the church and civil society also gave comforting messages at the send-off ceremony which was also attended by diplomats.

Amai Tsvangirai will be buried tomorrow at Humanikwa Village in Buhera at 2. 30 pm.

She leaves behind her husband, six children and two grandchildren.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP