(Bloomberg) -- The health of Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has worsened with his cancer having appeared to have spread and his immediate family have been called to a hospital in South Africa, a senior party official said.
Tsvangirai, 65, a former labor union leader, opposed former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in every election since 2000 and won a first round presidential vote in 2008 before backing out of the second round, citing violence against his supporters. He served as prime minister in a coalition government from 2009 to 2013. His spokesman, Luke Tamborinyoka, wasn't reachable on his mobile phone.
Tsvangirai's deteriorating health comes ahead of elections expected in the first half of the year where his party, the Movement for Democratic change, is due to compete against the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front. Zanu-PF is led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who took over after Mugabe resigned in November after the military briefly took control of the country.
There is no clear succession plan in the MDC with Tsvangirai having three deputies.
To contact the reporter on this story: Godfrey Marawanyika in Harare at gmarawanyika@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Antony Sguazzin at asguazzin@bloomberg.net, Gordon Bell
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