Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was preparing to announce he was pulling out of a run-off presidential election, a source in his party said on Sunday, after President Robert Mugabe’s supporters attacked his rally.
The source in the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Tsvangirai would cite violence and strong-arm tactics by Mugabe’s pro-security forces and militia for his decision to withdraw from the June 27 vote.
”A decision has been taken that it is not worth our while to go into the election because of the violence and because [the ruling] Zanu-PF has decided on the outcome already,” the MDC source said on condition of anonymity.
Tsvangirai was to hold a news conference in Harare later in the day.
The MDC earlier said that youth militia loyal to Mugabe attacked an MDC rally in Harare, beating journalists and forcing election observers to flee.
”Thousands of Zanu-PF youth militia, armed with iron bars, sticks and other weapons, have attacked journalists and forced election observer teams to flee from the venue of the MDC scheduled rally. Police are firing tear gas,” the MDC said in a statement.
Tsvangirai, who beat Mugabe in a March 29 vote but failed to win the absolute majority needed to avoid a second ballot, has already been detained by police five times while campaigning, and he says at least 70 MDC members have been murdered.
A spokesperson said on Friday that he was considering withdrawing from the election because of the campaign of physical intimidation against opponents and voters.
It was not clear whether Tsvangirai himself had arrived at the rally when the violence apparently erupted. Police had banned the rally, which was to be the highlight of Tsvangirai’s stormy election campaign, but the High Court in Harare on Saturday overturned the police ban.
International pressure
Tsvangirai said he won the March vote outright and only reluctantly agreed to a run-off. The state-run media have refused to run the opposition’s political ads and police have blocked some of its rallies.
Tendai Biti, a top MDC official and lieutenant to Tsvangirai, is in custody on a treason charge and other offences that carry a possible death penalty. A magistrate has ordered him held until at least July 7.
Mugabe has repeatedly vowed never to turn over power to the opposition, which he brands a puppet of Britain and the United States.
Mugabe (84) is fighting to cling on to power in the country he has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980. Once prosperous, its economy is now ruined and millions have fled the political and economic crisis to neighbouring states.
He has blamed the political violence on the opposition and denies security forces were responsible for brutality.
There is, however, growing pressure on his government to put an end to the violence. A growing chorus of African leaders added their voices this week to concerns that the election will be illegitimate.
Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, a long-time Mugabe ally, on Friday urged the Zimbabwean leader to allow the election to proceed in a spirit of tolerance and with respect to democratic norms. — Reuters