Morgan Tsvangirai

Morgan Tsvangirai (more-gan chang-ir-ai) (born March 10, 1952) is a Zimbabwean politician and trade unionist, and the leader and founder of the Movement for Democratic Change, the opposition party in Zimbabwe.

National politics

In 1999, he founded and organized the Movement for Democratic Change, an opposition party opposed to Mugabe's rule.

Related Topics:
1999 - Movement for Democratic Change - Mugabe

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In the 2000 parliamentary elections, the MDC won 57 out of 120 seats. Tsvangirai himself was not elected. Turning down the opportunity of a seat in one of the cities, where the MDC's support is strongest, the MDC leader chose instead to stand in his home district - which, like most rural constituencies, was won by Zanu-PF.

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Tsvangirai lost the March 2002 presidential election to Robert Mugabe of the ruling Zanu-PF party. The election provoked widespread allegations of vote rigging by Mugabe, through the use of violence, media bias, and manipulation of the voter's roll leading to abnormally high pro-Mugabe turnout in some areas.

Related Topics:
2002 - Robert Mugabe - Zanu-PF - Vote rigging - Violence - Media bias

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Tsvangirai is Shona, part of Zimbabwe's ethnic majority. He does not smoke or drink. He is married and is the father to six children.

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