AI
Thursday, May 22, 2008 10:46:14 PM
.. an evolution of a political stance .. in April Mugabe's opposition rejected a run-off ..
"Zimbabwe Opposition Rejects Runoff" ..
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=28393035
.. then they had to make a decision .. "Zimbabwe Calls for Runoff, but Opposition Challenges Vote Count"
" The Movement for Democratic Change now must decide .....
“If they don’t contest, Mugabe will be declared the winner,”said Mr. Kututwa, who was interrogated for three days this week on suspicion of subversive activities. “That would be the end. I don’t think it’s a wise idea to throw in the towel.”"
NOW .. of course ..
Tsvangirai bullish as Zimbabwe sets June date for election run-off
Friday May 16 2008
Morgan Tsvangirai at the Liberal International
Congress in Belfast today. Photograph: Paul Faith/PA
The Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, today predicted he would win
the long-delayed election run-off with President Robert Mugabe, provided it is a fair contest.
Tsvangirai's prediction came as Zimbabwe's electoral commission finally set a date for the run-off vote.
A terse statement in the government gazette said: "It is hereby notified that the Zimbabwe electoral commission with the approval of the minister of justice made the following notice: a poll shall be taken on Friday, June 27, 2008, for the purpose of electing a person to the office of president."
Tsvangirai attended an international conference in Belfast today where he demanded an end to the violence that has plagued his country since the first poll at the end of March.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader said he hoped to win a decisive victory by uniting other groups with his party.
He said: "We are actually going to broaden the coalition beyond just the MDC, and I am confident that even some members of Zanu-PF [the ruling party] would rather work for the MDC than work for Mugabe - who is 84 years, by the way."
Tsvangirai, who has been abroad since shortly after the March election trying to garner support, said he planned to return home later today.
He insisted he did not fear assassination and called for the 15-nation Southern African Development Community to send observers to ensure Mugabe's forces did not intimidate voters.
"Violence has to cease for an election to be conducted, otherwise that election will not be legitimate," he said. "My own party, the Movement for Democratic Change, is a government-in-waiting that is not prepared to wait any longer."
Mugabe told a Zanu-PF party conference today he would not be beaten by an opposition he said was backed by "a hostile axis of powerful foreign governments" and western imperialists.
Tsvangirai had previously expressed doubts over whether he would participate in a run-off that he saw as illegal, and was pushing for conditions, notably the presence of international observers to monitor the new election. He subsequently decided to contest the ballot to prevent Mugabe from simply declaring himself the winner.
The MDC had called for the second poll to be held on May 23 in accordance with electoral law, and described the delay as "irresponsible".
The electoral commission this week extended the deadline for the run-off to 90 days from the official announcement of the first results, saying more time was needed for logistical reasons.
A spokesman told the pro-Mugabe Herald newspaper: "Some of the resources were depleted during the first election, so we need more time to prepare for the run-off."
The delay will raise fears the government is preparing to rig the election and carry out more attacks on Tsvangirai supporters.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights said 22 people had died and 900 had been tortured in the past month. The government and officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party have denied responsibility for the violence and have blamed the opposition.
The government-backed official results from the original poll on March 29 put Tsvangirai ahead of Mugabe, but not by a big enough margin to avoid a second round of voting. The MDC has said it believes it was cheated of thousands of votes through poll-rigging and claimed Tsvangirai won 50.3% of the ballot, giving him a slender outright majority.
Tsvangirai's party won control of parliament in legislative elections held alongside the presidential vote - the first time since independence 28 years ago that Mugabe's party lost control of parliament.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/16/zimbabwe
"Zimbabwe Opposition Rejects Runoff" ..
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=28393035
.. then they had to make a decision .. "Zimbabwe Calls for Runoff, but Opposition Challenges Vote Count"
" The Movement for Democratic Change now must decide .....
“If they don’t contest, Mugabe will be declared the winner,”said Mr. Kututwa, who was interrogated for three days this week on suspicion of subversive activities. “That would be the end. I don’t think it’s a wise idea to throw in the towel.”"
NOW .. of course ..
Tsvangirai bullish as Zimbabwe sets June date for election run-off
Friday May 16 2008
Morgan Tsvangirai at the Liberal International
Congress in Belfast today. Photograph: Paul Faith/PA
The Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, today predicted he would win
the long-delayed election run-off with President Robert Mugabe, provided it is a fair contest.
Tsvangirai's prediction came as Zimbabwe's electoral commission finally set a date for the run-off vote.
A terse statement in the government gazette said: "It is hereby notified that the Zimbabwe electoral commission with the approval of the minister of justice made the following notice: a poll shall be taken on Friday, June 27, 2008, for the purpose of electing a person to the office of president."
Tsvangirai attended an international conference in Belfast today where he demanded an end to the violence that has plagued his country since the first poll at the end of March.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader said he hoped to win a decisive victory by uniting other groups with his party.
He said: "We are actually going to broaden the coalition beyond just the MDC, and I am confident that even some members of Zanu-PF [the ruling party] would rather work for the MDC than work for Mugabe - who is 84 years, by the way."
Tsvangirai, who has been abroad since shortly after the March election trying to garner support, said he planned to return home later today.
He insisted he did not fear assassination and called for the 15-nation Southern African Development Community to send observers to ensure Mugabe's forces did not intimidate voters.
"Violence has to cease for an election to be conducted, otherwise that election will not be legitimate," he said. "My own party, the Movement for Democratic Change, is a government-in-waiting that is not prepared to wait any longer."
Mugabe told a Zanu-PF party conference today he would not be beaten by an opposition he said was backed by "a hostile axis of powerful foreign governments" and western imperialists.
Tsvangirai had previously expressed doubts over whether he would participate in a run-off that he saw as illegal, and was pushing for conditions, notably the presence of international observers to monitor the new election. He subsequently decided to contest the ballot to prevent Mugabe from simply declaring himself the winner.
The MDC had called for the second poll to be held on May 23 in accordance with electoral law, and described the delay as "irresponsible".
The electoral commission this week extended the deadline for the run-off to 90 days from the official announcement of the first results, saying more time was needed for logistical reasons.
A spokesman told the pro-Mugabe Herald newspaper: "Some of the resources were depleted during the first election, so we need more time to prepare for the run-off."
The delay will raise fears the government is preparing to rig the election and carry out more attacks on Tsvangirai supporters.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights said 22 people had died and 900 had been tortured in the past month. The government and officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party have denied responsibility for the violence and have blamed the opposition.
The government-backed official results from the original poll on March 29 put Tsvangirai ahead of Mugabe, but not by a big enough margin to avoid a second round of voting. The MDC has said it believes it was cheated of thousands of votes through poll-rigging and claimed Tsvangirai won 50.3% of the ballot, giving him a slender outright majority.
Tsvangirai's party won control of parliament in legislative elections held alongside the presidential vote - the first time since independence 28 years ago that Mugabe's party lost control of parliament.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/16/zimbabwe
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