Maravi

Tsvangirai vows not to be part of unity govt

Tsvangirai vows not to be part of unity govt
By George Chellah and Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
Sunday June 29, 2008 [04:00]

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has vowed that the opposition party will not be part of the government of national unity that South African President Thabo Mbeki is promoting. But ZANU-PF officials held a prayer meeting for peace and prosperity emphasising the need for people to pray for President Mugabe's victory. Addressing the press and Western diplomats at his residence, Tsvangirai said he had communicated his view to President Mbeki.

"I want to confirm that I wrote to him, although he denies having received the letter. But I can confirm that the letter was delivered. I hear that President Mbeki is promoting to recognise President Mugabe after this sham election," Tsvangirai said. "In that way, I don't think it is wise because everyone else has condemned the election. To recognise Mugabe and expect the MDC to be part of the government of national unity that President Mbeki is promoting, I can disagree."

He said the opposition would only be part of the transition mechanism, not the government of national unity. Tsvangirai said there was need to beef up President Mbeki's mediation role on the Zimbabwean crisis.

"We said...that this is not an issue of one-man role. This is an issue where we have an expanded role. The African Union-led, supported by SADC, supported by the UN to facilitate the new initiative to come to Zimbabwe and deal with this issue," Tsvangirai said. "We no longer see a role for a one-man show. I hope that President Mbeki will work with the other leaders to resolve the crisis rather than to be seen to be managing the crisis. President Mbeki should be part of the broader initiative but certainly, we can no longer put the destiny of Zimbabwe in the hands of one man."

He continued to condemn Friday's presidential runoff election.
"What is happening today is not an election. There is nothing legitimate about this election. In many rural areas people were forced to spend the night in the open outside the polling stations. Today they have been ordered by militia to record the serial number of their ballot papers to identify anyone that might vote for the MDC," he said.
Tsvangirai said Zimbabweans knew that there was nothing legitimate about Friday's election.

"They know that there will be nothing legitimate about the result. This is a view shared by many African and world leaders. Anyone who recognises the result of this election is denying the will of the Zimbabwean people and standing in the way of a transition that will deliver stability and prosperity not just to the country, but also to the region," Tsvangirai said. "I am heartened by the fact that so many African leaders are now working with the MDC towards finding a lasting, peaceful solution to the Zimbabwe crisis.

These African leaders realise that it is essential that Zimbabwe joins the new Africa by joining the family of African nations where the people's right to choose their leaders and live lives free of fear and oppression is of paramount importance."
He said the people's victory may have been delayed by what he termed as a sham election but it would never be denied.
And ZANU-PF senior officials and the clergy held a prayer meeting to pray for peace and prosperity during the presidential election runoff period.

Addressing the gathering, Minister of State for National Security, Lands, Land Reform and Resettlement, Didymus Mutasa called for prayers for President Mugabe's victory in the runoff.

"There is no doubt Comrade Mugabe is going to win the election because he is where he is today because God wants him to be there," said Mutasa, who is also ZANU-PF secretary for administration. "If it wasn't for Comrade Mugabe and the late Cde Joshua Nkomo, Zimbabwe would not have won back the country from the British."

Mutasa said President Mugabe was the only black leader who was able to give people their birthright as well as empower them.
He said he could not say anything good about Tsvangirai.
"He Tsvangirai wants to reap where he did not sow," said Mutasa.

Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT

posted by MrK @ 3:47 AM