Zimbabwe government to fulfil pledges made to Tsvangirai: President Mnangagwa

Source: Xinhua| 2018-02-19 04:00:17|Editor: Yurou

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ZIMBABWE-HARARE-TSVANGIRAI-MEMORIAL SERVICE

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (L, Front) addresses mourners of Morgan Tsvangirai, the late former Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader, in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Feb. 18, 2017. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Sunday that the government will fulfill its financial and material promisess made to Morgan Tsvangirai. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa)

HARARE, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Sunday that the government will fulfill its financial and material promisess made to the late former prime minister and opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

Addressing mourners at Tsvangirai's home in Harare where he had gone to pay his condolences, Mnangagwa said he would see to it that pledges he made to the late premier are fulfilled, the state-run New Ziana reported.

"I visited Tsvangirai last month and made some promises to him. I will not renege on those promises. My government will also settle his hospital bill as promised.

"When funeral processes are done, I will let the family know what I had promised him. I will fulfill all the pledges I made to him," said Mnangagwa.

The government was also paying for Tsvangirai's hospital and medication bills up to the time of his death.

In January, Mnangagwa visited Tsvangirai at his residence to check on him since he had been unwell for some time.

Mnangagwa said Tsvangirai's body would be flown to his rural home in Buhera for burial on Tuesday.

"We are all Zimbabweans. We might disagree on how to get where we need to be, but no political party wants the worst for the country," said Mnangagwa.

Tsvangirai died in South Africa on Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 65. The Zimbabwe government has accorded him a state-assisted funeral.

A former trade unionist, Tsvangirai had been the face of Zimbabwean opposition politics since 2009. He became prime minister in an inclusive government led by former President Robert Mugabe in 2009 following disputed elections the year before.