Prime Minister Tsvangirai's Grandson Drowns in Family Pool

Bereaved Zimbabwe Premier Morgan Tsvangirai looses grand son while still grieving for wife

Condolences

The ZimSentinel would like to extent the deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences on the sudden death his grandson Shawn in a tragic swimming pool drowning at his residence on 4 April 2009.

May the Lord almighty give him and the family strength in these trying times coming hard on the aftermath of the death of Shawn’s grandmother and Premier’s beloved Wife Susan for it can only be him who knows really why he has decided to put the Premier through the successive heartbreaking family losses he is experiencing so early in his career in government.

Shawn Tsvangirai, 30-month old grandson of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, drowned yesterday in a swimming pool at the Prime Minister's residence in Strathaven, Harare. The incident happened at about 1530 hrs.

Shawn was the son of Garikai, Prime Minister Tsvangirai's second born son. Garikai and the infant's mother, Lilian, live in Canada but were in Zimbabwe to attend the funeral of Garikai's mother Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai who died in a car crash on 6 March.

The Prime Minister immediately left the Ministerial Retreat in Victoria Falls to return to family in Harare.

Shawn will be buried next to his grandmother in Buhera tomorrow, Monday 6 April 2009

Prime Minister Tsvangirai returns after one-week break

Zimbabwe Premier Morgan Tsvangirai

By: MDC Pressroom
24th March 2009

Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister and MDC President Hon. Morgan Tsvangirai arrived in Harare today from South Africa where he had gone to recuperate following the death of his wife, Amai Susan Nyaradzo Tsvangirai, early this month.

President Tsvangirai will resume work tomorrow when he officially opens the inaugural National Tourism Stakeholders’ Conference in Harare.

On Thursday, he will chair a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

He was met at the airport by government ministers, deputy ministers, Members of Parliament and party supporters.

Early this month, the MDC President was involved in fatal car accident along the Harare – Masvingo Highway resulting in the death of his wife.

They were on their way to Buhera, their rural home.

Following the death of Amai Tsvangirai, Hon. Tsvangirai and his six children were invited by the South African government for a one week break.

Tsvangirai calls on West to lift sanctions

Prime Minister Tsvangirai did he give lifting of "sanctions" the thumbs up
PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has called on the West to remove the illegal economic sanctions in recognition of the national reconstruction process.

In his inaugural address to the Seventh Parliament of Zimbabwe yesterday, the Prime Minister finally added his voice to the growing anti-sanctions lobby led by Sadc, the African Union, Comesa, the Non-Aligned Movement and
progressives the world over.

President Mugabe and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara have consistently condemned the embargo.

PM Tsvangirai said progress had been made in improving political polarisation and the West should, as a result, lift the ‘‘restrictive measures’’, an apparent reference to the sanctions.

"I therefore urge the international community to recognise our efforts, and to note the progress that we make in this regard, and to match our progress by moving towards the removal of restrictive measures," he said to applause from parliamentarians.

Some Members of Parliament had already begun denouncing sanctions a few minutes into the Prime Minister’s address.

Although some sections of the Western world began to soften their stance in the wake of the formation of the inclusive Government last month, Zimbabwe remains encumbered by the illegal sanctions that led to the cutting of lines of credit from multilateral lending institutions.

The Prime Minister said while Government was grateful to the donor community for humanitarian assistance, there was need to strengthen the relationship on the basis of respect for Zimbabwe’s sovereignty.

"What we need is to fully reestablish relationships with the international donor community, which will be respectful of our sovereignty, not a relationship essentially based on humanitarian assistance," he said.

PM Tsvangirai, who was sworn into Parliament on Tuesday, echoed President Mugabe’s statement over the past weekend that there would be no going back on land redistribution, stressing that the inclusive Government would institute measures to return the country to its breadbasket status in the region.

Efforts would also be directed, PM Tsvangirai said, at securing international support and finance for land reform with respect to compensation for former landowners and support for new farmers.

Mr Tsvangirai said President Mugabe, Professor Mutambara and himself had pledged to work together in implementing a comprehensive economic programme to resuscitate the economy.

Top on the list would be the need to increase production capacity, improve food security, ameliorate poverty, create jobs and deal with the high inflation, as well as take action on interest rates and the exchange rate.

Government would soon establish a National Economic Council comprising representatives from all economic sectors and civic society.

He also commended the multi-currency trading system enunciated in the fiscal and monetary policies saying this had removed major distortions that had become prevalent in the economy.

He challenged parliamentarians to adhere to the letter and spirit of the Global Political Agreement, while ensuring that they would not fail their respective constituencies.

"Mr Speaker Sir, we also have an opportunity to distinguish ourselves as leaders, not just through the policies we develop and legislation we pass, but also through the ways in which we conduct ourselves as the elected representatives of the people," he said.

He stressed the need for national healing, which he said was a process that required support by all Zimbabweans and that the political polarisation prior to the implementation of the September 15, 2008, agreement had had far-reaching effects on the nation.

Tsvangirai takes oath as leader of government in Parliament

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai ready to lead Government business in Parliament tomorrow
By Tichaona Sibanda
3 March 2009

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was on Tuesday sworn in as a Member of Parliament, effectively making him the leader of government business in the House of Assembly.

The hour long swearing in ceremony was celebrated with much pomp and fanfare by parliamentarians from opposing sides. Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara..and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Gorden Moyo, were also sworn in at a ceremony presided over by the speaker of Parliament, Lovemore Moyo.

This was the last of the ceremonies under the Global Political Agreement that cements Tsvangirai’s position in the inclusive government. The first was his swearing in as the Prime Minister two weeks ago.

According to the agreement those appointed to the posts of Vice President, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, and are not MP’s, become ex-officio members of the House of Assembly.

A statement released by the Prime Minister’s office said Tsvangirai would deliver his maiden speech in Parliament on Wednesday. It’s expected he will use this opportunity to outline government plans for the coming year. MDC MP for Makoni central John Nyamande, told us there was euphoria and excitement in the House of Assembly as the MDC President took the oath of parliament.

Interestingly, Johannes Tomana, the ZANU PF appointed attorney general was also sworn as an ex-officio member of parliament. The swearing in of Tomana also buttresses his position in the government following several protests from the MDC that his appointment was done against the spirit of the GPA.

The MDC want his appointment reversed, together with that of Gideon Gono, the Reserve Bank Governor.

‘Tomana had a day to forget in parliament. MPs from ZANU PF just gave him a cold shoulder while those from the MDC jeered and booed when he took his oath. You could see he was uncomfortable during the ceremony while Tsvangirai and Mutambara were upbeat,’ according to Nyamande.

Tomana is apparently very unpopular in ZANU PF and government circles.


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