HARARE, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Leader of Zimbabwe opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) party Morgan Tsvangirai is admitted in a South African hospital for routine cancer treatment, his spokesperson Luke Tamborinyoka said Saturday.
Tamborinyoka confirmed in a statement that Tsvangirai, suffering from colon cancer, was receiving treatment in the neighboring country. He said the opposition leader was in a stable condition and advised the nation not to panic about his health. Tamborinyoka did not state when Tsvangirai was admitted in hospital but media reports said he was admitted Friday.
"President (of MDC-T) Morgan Tsvangirai, who flew to South Africa for a routine medical procedure, is in a very stable condition contrary to morbid media reports that he is critical and is battling for his life," Tamborinyoka said.
"True to form, the people's leader is more worried about the plight of Zimbabweans than his own condition. This morning, he was assuring Zimbabweans he will be home soon," Tamborinyoka added.
He said Tsvangirai urged Zimbabweans to turn out for voter registration in their multitudes so that they will be able to vote in polls next year.
Tsvangirai was diagnosed with colon cancer last year and has been receiving treatment in South Africa.
He is leading negotiations with several small opposition parties to form a grand coalition to contest against President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF in next year's polls.
Tsvangirai is Mugabe's main political opponent. The two have squared off in presidential polls since 2000 and Tsvangirai has lost to Mugabe in all the elections except in 2008 when he won more votes than Mugabe but not enough to give him an outright win. He eventually lost to Mugabe in the run-off election.
