ZIMBABWE’S opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai urged thousands of supporters on Sunday to remain patient as he bids to force a rerun of last month’s controversial presidential poll.
”Mugabe stole your vote and you people did not get the government you wanted because of that,” the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) told a rally attended by more than 12 000 people in the densely populated Highfields suburb of Harare.
”So we must have a grand strategy of action which will ensure that this illegitimate government of Mugabe will not survive,” Tsvangirai said.
”We as MDC should be ready to govern because victory is certain for us. When the time for action comes we shall tell you people of Zimbabwe how to act and you should be disciplined when the time comes,” he said.
The MDC on Friday petitioned the High Court for nullification of the March 9-11 vote, in which Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980, was declared the winner by a wide margin over Tsvangirai.
The former labour leader rejected the result, charging massive vote-rigging, and has refused to recognize the Mugabe government.
The MDC is also engaged in talks with the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) which are set to resume May 13 at which the opposition will also press for a rerun of the election.
Early indications were that Zanu-PF would not consider a rerun. – AFP
