I’LL WORK WITH ANYONE OPPOSING MUGABE: TSVANGIRAI
Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Wednesday declared he would work with anyone who opposed the dictatorship of President Robert Mugabe while denouncing former ruling party presidential candidate Simba Makoni as tainted goods.
”Anyone who is prepared to close ranks against Zanu-PF, against Robert Mugabe, we will work with them,” said Tsvangirai, who heads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Tsvangirai told foreign correspondents at a briefing in Johannesburg that he expected elections in March to be rigged.
Tsvangirai was responding to questions about whether he was prepared to join forces with popular former finance minister and Zanu-PF member Makoni, who announced earlier this month he would stand for president against 83-year-old Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s president for 28 years.
Makoni’s announcement has revitalised the election, which had been billed as a walkover for Mugabe after rival factions within the MDC failed to agree to contest the presidential, parliamentary and local polls under a single banner.
The smaller of the two MDC factions led by Arthur Mutambara is reported to have thrown its support behind Makoni.
Tsvangirai stressed that Makoni, who was formally expelled from the ruling party on Wednesday, was tainted by his association with Mugabe’s rule.
”They are guilty by omission and commission,” he said of reform-minded figures within Zanu-PF, pointing out that Makoni had sat on Zanu-PF’s politburo while the economy went into free fall, driving an estimated four million Zimbabweans into exile.
Mugabe’s disastrous policies, including his ruinous land reform programme, are blamed for hyperinflation of over 25 000%, unemployment of about 80% and widespread shortages of basic foods.
But Tsvangirai also acknowledged Makoni’s stand, which has drawn threats of violence from war veterans close to Mugabe, was ”courageous” and said the MDC was prepared to hold ”a principled discussion about the future of the country”, with any anti-Mugabe figures.
The opposition leader, whose beating by police during a crackdown on the MDC in March 2007 sparked international outrage, also made an impassioned plea to South African President Thabo Mbeki not to rubber-stamp the outcome of the March 29 polls.
Break with quiet diplomacy
Tsvangirai urged Mbeki, who was appointed by Southern African countries to mediate between Zanu-PF and the MDC on creating the conditions for free and fair elections, to ”break with his policy of quiet support for the dictatorship in Zimbabwe”.
”If you won’t do it for us, if you won’t do it for Africa, do it for your own country and for your own legacy,” he said, adding Mbeki’s assessment that the two sides had reached ”full agreement” on key matters was incorrect.
The MDC had threatened to boycott the polls unless they were held under a new draft constitution and the date postponed.
The party’s about-turn has been criticised by some as conferring legitimacy on elections many fear will be not be free and fair.
”We want to force him to steal the election,” Tsvangirai said, expressing confidence that the MDC would be the legitimate winners.
Asked about the possibility of Kenyan-style post-electoral violence if both parties claim victory in the polls, he said: ”Of course it’s a concern,” but added: ”We would never endorse that type of outcome.”
Tsvangirai robbed
Meanwhile, Tsvangirai was robbed at his Johannesburg offices on Tuesday evening, police said.
Police spokesperson Thembi Nkhwasu said Tsvangirai and two of his officials were in their offices in Homestead Avenue in Bryanston at about 6pm when they were confronted by three men armed with pistols.
”The robbers stole the three men’s bags, laptops, cellphones and an undisclosed amount of Zimbabwe dollars.
”The robbers escaped in a white sedan that was waiting for them outside,” she said. – Sapa-DPA, Sapa