Alex T Magaisa 🇿🇼 Profile picture
Feb 14, 2022 13 tweets 6 min read Read on X
1. Morgan Tsvangirai rose to be Prime Minister of Zimbabwe in a power-sharing government with his bitter rival Robert Mugabe. The role took him to high places but my abiding memory of him is of an unpretentious man who was most comfortable among ordinary people.
2. One day when we had a townhall meeting in Bindura, Morgan decided that he would pay a surprise visit to his old mates in the neighbourhood. He directed his motorcade to the home of his friend Mr Mangadze. I never saw him so happy apart from when he visited his village.
3. He was animated like a young lad who was meeting his old mates after a long time. Morgan had lived in Bindura for some time when he was working at the mines. These were his real friends, men who knew him well. Mr Mangadze in blue & Mr Chikumbu in the checked shirt.
4. They had many questions for him and here he was showing Mangadze and his wife some pictures in his smartphone. This is the life that Morgan had lived and I suspected he was quite nostalgic. After all no one had huge expectations on his friends’ shoulders. They were free!
5. This is one of my favourite photos of Morgan with the Mangadze kids. They must all be grown up now - this was in 2013. He was so comfortable with them and they were relaxed. The young lad was quite excited and couldn’t believe the PM was at their home!
6. We travelled a lot when I worked with Morgan and I used to take pictures when I could. Here he was talking to President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania. They had developed a cordial and brotherly relationship and I could see that he was comfortable in his company.
7. Here, we had hopped across the Limpopo to see President Zuma as part of the diplomatic offensive. It wasn’t easy getting this meeting because it was a Sunday. The story of how we eventually got in is for another day. Suffice to say there are some smooth operators out there!
8. Here he was with former President of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings. We were at the World Economic Forum in Davos. President Rawlings praised Morgan for his courage but he also had a special message: please send my regards to Cde Mugabe!
9. This was at the World Economic Forum Africa event in Cape Town. Morgan had a soft spot for Mthuli and thought he was a candidate to head the central bank if he got into power. Mthuli eventually returned home but in different circumstances. The rest is history.
10. Here Morgan was making a point to former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. Kofi as usual listened calmly and gave him encouraging words to continue fighting for human rights and democracy.
11. This was at the Africa Cup Nations Final in South Africa. Dr Nkosazana Dhlamini-Zuma was boss at the African Union. I learnt a key lesson here: football diplomacy. I got a better appreciation of why leaders attend these events even when they seem like a waste of time & money
12. One of rare pictures together. We were at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Such foreign trips when you are far from home and the usual political crowd are invaluable moments where you get to know each other better, including your vulnerabilities.
13. I’m sure journalists have more pictures of us together but this is one I found recently. We had just arrived at a polling station where Morgan and his wife Elizabeth were going to cast their votes. I’m on one side. I’m sure you all know the chap on the other side!

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More from @Wamagaisa

Apr 28, 2022
Havasi vose vanoti CCC vane chido nayo. Naizvozvo havasi vose vanoti CCC vamuchange munavo pakuyambuka. Vamwe vanoti zvino tinoziva sei? Aiwa, muchaona nemabasa. China manenji hachifambisi, chinomirira kuti mavara acho aonekwe. Mukaziva izvozvo moyo yenyu haizodzimbikani.
It’s not everyone who says CCC who is for it. Therefore, not everyone who says CCC shall be with you at the crossing. Some ask, how shall we know? Worry not for you shall see by their works. A mystery takes time to show its colours. Know this and your hearts shall not be broken
Akusi wonke othi CCC omela i CCC. Ngakho ke, masokumele sichaphe umfula asi wonke ozawela. Sizobazi kanjani ukuthi laba ngabethu laba asibethu? Ungakhathazeki! Okulempondo akufihlwa emgodleni Sizobona ngezenzo. Ungabakwazi lokhu, inhliziyo yakho izoba lokuthula
Read 6 tweets
Apr 28, 2022
1. I’ve read the distress call from journalist @daddyhope arising from the Zimbabwean regime’s attempt to grab his private investment at his rural home. As usual, the regime uses surrogates to create false narratives to justify the confiscation & plunder of private property.
2. For experienced Zimbabwe watchers, looting and plundering is a regime favourite. Edwin Moyo’s flourishing Kondozi Estate was run aground by regime looters. Business people live in fear of losing their investments which is worse if they reveal their political preferences.
3. A businessman who was suspected of funding the opposition found himself facing an unreasonable and vindictive tax bill from ZIMRA. Many more are choked into silence if ever they are suspected of siding with or helping the opposition.
Read 7 tweets
Apr 24, 2022
1. When they say you’re putting the cart before the horse they mean you’re doing things in the wrong order. You want to buy a wedding gown before your partner has proposed! Everything must follow a process. This is why debate over the CCC “Congress” is misplaced & misdirected.
2. I’ve been searching for when the “Congress” became an issue of public debate. I took a break over Easter & I missed its genesis then. Back to the idiom: an event of the nature described as a “Congress” is the culmination of other foundational processes.
3. The nomenclature of “Congress” is a reflection of how ZANU PF discourse has shaped our political thinking. MDC simply copied & pasted the language & processes of ZANU PF. The organs were similar albeit with minor modifications such as “Youth Assembly” for “Youth League”
Read 15 tweets
Apr 22, 2022
1. In an environment where traditional media space has long been restricted, social media can be useful to opposition leaders. But just as it is an opportunity, it is also a risk, the latter of which increases in the absence of proper training and message discipline.
2. I’m surprised that some opposition figures see their twitter handles as “personal”. The fact of the matter is that to the public eye whatever they tweet is associated with their party. They have to think hard & carefully how their output will reflect on the party.
3. Going forward, a social media crash course is necessary for party officials. Tsvangirai used to be so frustrated by message indiscipline. You would open the newspaper & find conflicting messages from party officials. And that was before social media blossomed.
Read 4 tweets
Apr 12, 2022
1. @TrevorNcube I’ve read your piece & there are loose ends that need clarity. You say you supported Mssrs Makoni & Moyo in their political projects. It’s common cause that 1. both failed & 2. you abandoned them. Could you elaborate on why they failed despite the merits you saw?
2. Secondly, you pledge a holy petition that Chamisa “attracts men & women who are far better that him to add content, vision and strategy to his ambitions”, an indirect claim that he has none. Is that how lowly you regard accomplished peers like Welshman Ncube & Tendai Biti?
3. Who might these men and women be that you have in mind so that we can also assess their qualities and your judgment. When you joined PAC were you satisfied that Mnangagwa had men and women of the calibre that you suggest? If so who were they and why did they fail?
Read 4 tweets
Apr 8, 2022
1. Yesterday I spent time listening to young people discussing their attitude to voting and electoral processes. I hope @OpenParlyZw recorded it because political leaders need to listen to it. When I was invited I said no, I don’t want to speak for the youth. I want to hear them.
2. And boy, did they speak sense! I learnt a lot from them which I shall share one day in a BSR but there is one thing that cannot wait. It is that the political messaging about elections and the electoral system must change and change big.
3. The young ones say there have been socialised to believe that the electoral system is rigged and that it is pointless to vote. We are always told that it’s all rigged, so what’s the point? We have no faith in the system. That is what they said and I understood them.
Read 5 tweets

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