By Mgcini Dlamini | Nehanda Harare Bureau |
HARARE – Although there are sworn political enemies, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai cancelled his state of the nation address pencilled for today, to mourn President Robert Mugabe’s late sister, Bridget Mugabe.
Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai’s spokesperson said they had postponed the state of the nation address to Friday.
He said: “President Morgan Tsvangirai has moved forward to this Friday his state of the nation address that was set to be held in Harare today because of the president Mugabe‘s sister burial.
“We are normal human beings and Africans and we saw it appropriate to postpone the address. At the time the address was arranged, there had not been bereavement in President Mugabe’s family.”
Tsvangirai sent condolence messages to the Mugabe family when news trickled in that Bridgette had passed on.
Bridget, who was admitted at Parirenyatwa Hospital since 2010 after collapsing during the burial of her elder sister, Sabina at the National Heroes’ Acre in Harare, died of heart failure.
The president only surviving sibling suffered from breathing complications.
She was on life support for the past three until the time of her death.
The state of the nation, according to the MDC is meant to unpack the problems facing the country and proffer solutions on the way forward in light of the magnitude of the economic problems facing the people of Zimbabwe.
Invited to Tsvangirai’s’ address are members of the press, diplomats, civic society, industry representatives, students and the labour movement.
Diplomats who had gathered at Crowne Plaza, a hotel in Harare, for the address expressed exasperation that the party failed to notify them of the postponement.
