Morgan Tsvangirai in his own words – Audio

By Morgan Tsvangirai

I think the biggest sacrifice is the loss of my wife and grandson. But I also knew that those who have died for this struggle would have wanted me to continue. To achieve the goals we set out to achieve which is dignity, prosperity and for the people of Zimbabwe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9n_MQVHTV8

So yes at a personal level it was a great loss. They were moments on this long journey where I have lost an organiser. I have lost people who were desperately looking for some salvation. People coming to our head office thousands of victims of political violence.

Those were also moments of great pain because the burden of responsibility lay with me. What do we do for all those people who were desperately looking for salvation, looking for solutions? Some of the solutions, which were not there and imminent. There were moments we were helpless. Remember that our struggle has been a peaceful struggle. It’s not an armed conflict.

We were facing and confronting people who use violence as an instrument. And we were using nothing but the will of the people. I sort of shelved my own personal risk because I knew that they were so many people risking their lives for this democratic change. Some who had already died as a result. So I sort of suppressed my own personal fear and own personal security.

It’s was difficult, sometimes your close ones in your family start questioning whether it’s worth it. Start questioning, “have you not done enough already?” you know. Is it worth it to go all the way to sacrifice your life? And I have responded by saying they’re people who have sacrificed anyway and that one more human being is not going to make a difference. But if my death is going to cause the change that we are looking for. Then perhaps it’s worth it.