/ 21 December 2010

Zimbabwe leaders together urge peace ahead of elections

Zimbabwe Leaders Together Urge Peace Ahead Of Elections

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday urged their supporters to shun violence ahead of the country’s elections planned for next year.

“What we would want to get to our people is our voice and our command that there should be no violence, but that does not mean that everybody will listen to us,” Mugabe said at a joint end-of-year news conference with Tsvangirai.

“Having found each other as Zimbabweans we had no option, but to work together. Today we have greater political stability than ever before. There is peace,” said Mugabe.

Mugabe was last weekend endorsed by his Zanu-PF party as the candidate for the elections mooted for 2011.

Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has also conceded that a presidential election could take place in 2011, but ruled out Parliamentary polls until 2013.

“We come from different political parties and when we have differences we go for each other’s throat at party level, but let it not be said because of that we are dysfunctional,” Mugabe said.

Committed
In 2008, the two leaders entered into an uneasy power-sharing deal, following months of political turmoil over the outcome of a violence marred presidential run-off.

Tsvangirai has struggled to assert his authority in the unity government, with Mugabe making key appointments without consulting him.

“Yes, there are incidences of violence and we have witnessed it and we are committed as leaders to ensure that the next election is certainly not characterised by a culture of violence,” said Tsvangirai.

“That demon must be ostracised, it is a demon that no-one wants,” he added.

The two leaders could not be drawn into giving indications when the polls would be held, saying that a referendum for a new constitution would first have to be finalised.

Coalition is working
Meanwhile, Mugabe and Tsvangirai said on Monday their unity government was working well despite differences.

Mugabe, who struck a conciliatory note and joked with reporters, had heavily criticised his rivals at a weekend conference of his Zanu-PF party where he called for a vote to dissolve the coalition.

The two rivals and Arthur Mutambara, who leads a splinter Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, were forced into a coalition last year, but the union has been rocked by problems over power-sharing from the start.

“We are from different political parties and we go for each other at a political level. We have differences but let it not be said because of that, we are dysfunctional,” Mugabe told journalists at a regular end-of-year news conference, flanked by Tsvangirai and Mutambara.

“What we would want to get to people is our voice and command that there should be no violence, but that does not mean that everybody will listen to us. You (media) play a major role, please play that role by preaching peace, peace,” Mugabe said.

Tsvangirai, who has accused Mugabe of unilateral government decisions, said the unity administration would not disintegrate.

“The unity government has not collapsed and it will not collapse until an election is conducted to the satisfaction of all,” he said, while Mugabe nodded in agreement.

Infighting could give the stronghold
Analysts said Zanu-PF may feel it has a chance to win an early poll due to infighting in the MDC, which is struggling to maintain the gains it made in Zanu-PF rural strongholds in 2008.

The unity government is credited with stabilising an economy crushed by hyperinflation about two years ago and reducing political violence.

But critics say Mugabe (86), in power for three decades, is stalling on the critical media, electoral and security reforms needed for a free and fair vote. — AFP, Reuters