The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has confirmed that it President Morgan Tsvangirai was short-listed for the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize which has been won by US President Barack Obama today.

The MDC congratulated the US President who award will raise is status as a world peacemaker and make it more difficult for President Mugabe and the repressive forces to dismiss him as a representative of imperialism.

Obama’s inspirational figure; his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples made him then perfect candidate for winning the award, said the MDC in the congratulatory message.

Capitalising on the limelight, the MDC said Prime Minister Tsvangirai’s nomination for the shot-list bore testimony to the international recognition not only of President Tsvangirai, but of the determination by the people of Zimbabwe to achieve peaceful, democratic change.

“As a party, we are happy that our President was one of the short listed nominees. For years, the MDC President, the party and the people of Zimbabwe at large have fought tirelessly and tenaciously for a peaceful and democratic Zimbabwe in which all people work and live in harmony.

“Today’s event is an acknowledgement of the peaceful struggle of those who have been killed, those who have been maimed and those who have been harassed or had their houses burnt in their quest for a peaceful and democratic Zimbabwe.”
Zimbabweans refuse to be seduced or provoked into violence, but have remained focussed on waging a peaceful, non-violent struggle that would lead to real change and democracy in Zimbabwe.

The MDC saluted them and their continued efforts in bringing real change, which has been recognised through President Tsvangirai as the face of the people’s struggle for change, hope, democracy, freedom, peace and prosperity, said the statement.