20101109
africanews

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, has received an internationally recognized democracy medal from the International Association of Political Consultants (IAPC)'s 2010 edition.

PM Tsvangirai received the prestigious award on Monday at the IAPC 43rd world annual conference that was held in Paris, France, becoming the second African leader to win the award after Nelson Mandela of South Africa who won it in 1993.

A statement from the IAPC said Tsvangirai won the award “in recognition of his unstinting effort and courageous leadership in the struggle for democracy and freedom in Zimbabwe.”

IAPC awards organizations or individuals who courageously fight for and promote democracy and uphold democratic values anywhere in the world.

Accepting the award, Tsvangirai said the medal “belonged to the people of Zimbabwe, dead and living, who have borne the brunt and pain of the struggle for democracy, freedom and real change.”

The conference which is underway in Paris is being held under the theme “Campaigns without Frontiers.”

The award has been previously handed to Lech Walesa (Poland), Aung San Suu Kyi (Burma) and South African freedom and democracy icon Nelson Mandela who spent 27 locked in the Roben Island prison fighting apartheid.

Tsvangirai’s Paris entourage included the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Jameson Timba and Information Communication Technology Minister Nelson Chamisa and other senior government officials, including the Zimbabwean envoy to France, Ambassador Hamadziripi.

Zimbabwean Prime Minister has been fighting for democracy since the late 90s when the country witnessed a chaotic land reform program that was led by the then war veterans boss Chenjerai Hunzvi. The international community has accused President Mugabe’s previous ZANU-Pf government of the lack of the rule of law and human rights violations, citing 2005’s Operation Murambatsvina, which left more than 4million (UN report) Zimbabweans without shelter.