Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai 'critically ill' with colon cancer

Zimbabwe's main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is critically ill in a South African hospital. Local media quoted family sources as saying the 65-year-old former prime minister - who is being treated for colon cancer; is suffering from weight loss, exhaustion and muscle thinning.

During his political struggle against ex-President Robert Mugabe, he was beaten and imprisoned numerous times.  Mr Tsvangirai heads Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party.

He has been in and out of hospital since June 2017, receiving treatment in a Johannesburg hospital for cancer. He returned to the hospital early last month but Tsvangirai's health deteriorated rapidly on Monday.

He had lost appetite and had difficulty eating or swallowing fluids. Tsvangirai also reportedly had breathing problems.