Tsvangirai out of hospital

Politics
MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday broke his silence over speculation on his ill-health saying he was recovering from home and not in “a mortuary somewhere” as wished by his political foes.

MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday broke his silence over speculation on his ill-health saying he was recovering from home and not in “a mortuary somewhere” as wished by his political foes. MOSES MATENGA/EVERSON MUSHAVA

Tsvangirai spoke amid drama as the upmarket hospital he was admitted to at Trauma Centre and Hospital, Harare, reported him to the police for “sneaking out” without settling his hospital bill amounting to $2 600.

The hospital authorities also suspended a nurse who had helped sneak Tsvangirai out using the exit to the launderette around 11am as the ex-premier accompanied by his wife Elizabeth Macheka sought to evade hordes of people including State security agents and journalists who had camped at the hospital.

Some hospital staff indicated that the drama over the non-payment of the hospital bill was stage-managed as Macheka had indicated that she was taking her husband home and would be back to settle all bills.

Tsvangirai was reportedly set to be released today, but it was not clear why he had opted to be released a day earlier. It is understood hospital authorities rushed to report Tsvangirai at Avondale Police Station, but by the time they finished making a report, they got a call from the hospital to the effect that the bill had been settled three hours after he moved out, forcing the hospital to withdraw the charges.

An Avondale policeman had to rush to the hospital to secure evidence that indeed Tsvangirai had settled his bills.

Some hospital officials were against making a police report, but were apparently over-ruled by their “overzealous” colleagues.

“A woman who accompanied Tsvangirai’s wife Elizabeth said they wanted to get him to rest at home and promised to return to make the payment after 30 minutes. But an hour after he left, hospital officials decided to report him to the police and suspend the nurse who helped him ‘sneak’ out,” the source said.

“The place was heavily guarded with his security and many other people who seemed to have an interest in his whereabouts.”

Tsvangirai said he was bound to fall sick like any other human being.

Although he refused to grant an official interview, he siad: “People thought I was in a mortuary somewhere. Who said I shouldn’t get sick? As if there is someone who ordered that thou shall not get sick!”

His wife chipped in telling journalists that her husband was well and relaxing, rubbishing speculation that he was critically ill and detained in a hospital.