51 Facts About Morgan Tsvangirai

Morgan Tsvangirai claimed to have won a majority and said that the results could have been altered in the month between the election and the reporting of official results.

Morgan Tsvangirai initially planned to run in the second round against Mugabe, but withdrew shortly before it was held, arguing that the election would not be free and fair due to widespread violence and intimidation by government supporters that led to the deaths of 200 people.

Morgan Tsvangirai sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a car crash on 6 March 2009 when heading towards his rural home in Buhera.

Morgan Tsvangirai hoped that an all-inclusive stakeholders' meeting to chart the country's future and an internationally supervised process for the forthcoming elections would create a process that would take the country towards a legitimate regime.

On 14 February 2018, Morgan Tsvangirai died at the age of 65 after reportedly suffering from colorectal cancer.

Morgan Tsvangirai was the eldest of nine children, and the son of a communal farmer, mine worker, carpenter and bricklayer.

Morgan Tsvangirai completed his primary education at St Marks Goneso Primary School Hwedza, and was transferred by his father to Chikara Primary School Gutu, then to Silveira.

Morgan Tsvangirai completed his secondary education at Gokomere High School.

In 1974 an old school mate from Silveira encouraged Morgan Tsvangirai to apply for an advertised job as an apprentice for Anglo America's Bindura's Nickel Mine in Mashonaland Central.

Morgan Tsvangirai spent ten years at the mine, rising from plant operator to plant supervisor.

Morgan Tsvangirai married his second wife, Elizabeth Macheka was born on 1976 and mother of three, on 15 September 2012.

Morgan Tsvangirai is reported to have been an ardent Mugabe supporter and to have risen "swiftly in the hierarchy", eventually becoming one of the party's senior officials.

Morgan Tsvangirai is known for his role in the Zimbabwean trade union movement, where he held the position of branch chairman of the Associated Mine Workers' Union and was later elected into the executive of the National Mine Workers' Union.

Morgan Tsvangirai has periodically toured the mass graves of the victims in Tsholotsho, Kezi, Lupane, Nkayi and other places in rural Matabeleland.

Morgan Tsvangirai chaired the Task Force, as founding convener Tawanda Mutasah served as Moderator.

Morgan Tsvangirai stepped down after being elected president of the MDC.

In 2001 Morgan Tsvangirai was awarded the Solidar Silver Rose Award.

In 1999 Morgan Tsvangirai co-founded and organised the Movement for Democratic Change with Gibson Sibanda, Welshman Ncube, Fletcher Dulini Ncube and Isaac Matongo, an opposition party opposed to President Robert Mugabe and the ZANU-PF ruling party.

Morgan Tsvangirai helped to defeat the February 2000 constitutional referendum, successfully campaigning against it along with the National Constitutional Assembly.

Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested after the 2000 elections and charged with treason; this charge was later dismissed.

In 2004, Morgan Tsvangirai was acquitted of treason for an alleged plot to assassinate Mugabe in the run-up to the 2002 presidential elections.

Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested after the government alleged that he had threatened President Robert Mugabe.

In May 2003 Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested on a Friday afternoon shortly after giving a press conference, the government alleged he had incited violence.

Morgan Tsvangirai was busy marshaling his forces of repression against the sovereign will of the people of Zimbabwe.

On 11 March 2007 a day after his 55th birthday, Morgan Tsvangirai was arrested on his way to a prayer rally in the Harare township of Highfield.

Morgan Tsvangirai's wife was allowed to see him in prison, after which she reported that he had been heavily tortured by police, resulting in deep gashes on his head and a badly swollen eye.

Morgan Tsvangirai was allegedly tortured by a Special Forces of Zimbabwe unit based at the army's Cranborne Barracks on 12 March 2007 after being arrested and held at Machipisa Police Station in the Highfield suburb of Harare.

One of the soldiers poured cold water all over Morgan Tsvangirai to resuscitate him.

Morgan Tsvangirai removed an army belt from her waist and used it to assault Tsvangirai until he passed out again.

Morgan Tsvangirai's body was discovered the next weekend near the village of Darwendale, 50 miles west of Harare.

Reports from BBC News indicate that Morgan Tsvangirai suffered from a fractured skull and received blood transfusions for internal bleeding.

Morgan Tsvangirai was released, but on 28 March 2007, Zimbabwean police stormed the Movement for Democratic Change, 44 Harvest House, national headquarters and arrested him, hours before he was to speak with the media about recent political violence in the country.

Morgan Tsvangirai was due to arrive in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Saturday, 17 May 2008, but a party spokesman said he was staying in Europe after a credible assassination plot was discovered.

Morgan Tsvangirai was detained by police while campaigning on Wednesday, 4 June 2008, after being stopped at a police roadblock.

Morgan Tsvangirai was accused by police of threatening public security by addressing a gathering without prior authorisation.

Morgan Tsvangirai's detention was vigorously protested by the United States and various European governments.

However, chief police spokesperson of Zimbabwe Wayne Bvudzijena said Morgan Tsvangirai's convoy was stopped because one of the vehicles did not have proper registration.

Morgan Tsvangirai has been accused of allowing activists to attack opponents within his own party.

In September 2007, it was widely reported that Morgan Tsvangirai met Thabo Mbeki, the former President of South Africa for crucial talks on how to speed up talks between the ruling ZANU PF and the Movement for Democratic Change party.

In May 2008, Morgan Tsvangirai met Raila Odinga, the then Prime Minister of Kenya, who urged him to contest an election run-off against Mugabe.

Morgan Tsvangirai said that this second round should take place within the three-week period following the announcement of results that is specified by the Electoral Act.

Morgan Tsvangirai made his participation conditional on "unfettered access of all international observers," the "reconstitution" of the Electoral Commission, and free access for the media, including the international press.

On 13 May 2008, Morgan Tsvangirai stated that he would be willing to compete in the run-off if at least Southern African Development Community election observers would be present, softening his previous demand for free access to all international observers.

Morgan Tsvangirai promised the revival of agriculture, saying that the issue would be "completely depoliticised" and that there would be measures to "compensate or reintegrate" farmers who lost their land as part of land reform.

Morgan Tsvangirai's vehicle was stopped by police at a roadblock and his motorcade was searched; after two hours, he was taken to a police station.

On 22 June 2008, Morgan Tsvangirai announced at a press conference that he was withdrawing from the run-off, describing it as a "violent sham" and saying that his supporters risked being killed if they voted for him.

Shortly after making this announcement, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai sought refuge at the Dutch Embassy in Harare, citing concerns for his safety.

In January 2009, Morgan Tsvangirai announced that he would do as the leaders across Africa had insisted and join a coalition government as prime minister with Mugabe.

On 11 February 2009 Morgan Tsvangirai was sworn in as the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.

Morgan Tsvangirai extended the appointment of some of the key security positions like Commissioner of Police beyond their term of office without consulting me.

In June 2016 Morgan Tsvangirai had announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment.