Maravi

(NEWZIMBABWE) Elections will be ‘free, fair’: Tsvangirai

Elections will be ‘free, fair’: Tsvangirai
28/10/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter

MDC-T leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai assured supporters Sunday that fresh elections expected next year would be “free and fair” adding he was confident of finally end President Robert Mugabe’s lengthy hold on power.

Mugabe recently revealed that elections to end the coalition government would be held in March but the MDC-T says conditions are not in place for a credible ballot and has been pressing for full implementation of political reforms agreed under the GPA deal.

However, speaking an event to remember victims of political violence in Chiweshe Sunday, Tsvangirai said assured supporters said measures would be taken to ensure the election outcome was not disputed.

“We will make sure that the next elections are free and fair and we are going to win it. We would want SADC observers, African Union and European Union because we have nothing to fear or hide,” he said.

“We are going to make sure that the next election is free and fair and we are going to win it. If Mugabe wins, I should be able to congratulate him and the same should happen if I win.”

Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980 but Tsvangirai said that is certain to end next year.

[President Mugabe has been re-elected since 1980. Morgan Tsvangirai is stooge of Anglo-American De Beers, and no one can applaud Anglo-American De Beers rise to power in Zimbabwe. That is not democracy. - MrK]

“Zanu PF will never win a free and fair election. Zanu PF is a party of the past and MDC-T a party of the future. The struggle is for Zimbabwe to free ourselves from the Zanu PF bondage,” he said.

“The oppressed continue fighting until the oppressor loses grip. This country has suffered enough. People fought for freedom during the liberation struggle but in Zimbabwe, only to turn from being oppressed by our black brothers.”

Tsvangirai won the first round of the Presidential ballot in 2008 but pulled out of the run-off after accusing Mugabe of brutalising his supporters.

The two leaders have repeatedly called on their supporters to refrain from violence in the period leading up to the new polls but Tsvangirai said his rival had been making half-hearted appeals.
“Mugabe should not preach peace and act violence,” he said.

The MDC-T claims 14 of its members were killed when a Zanu PF militia attacked its supporters at Chaona Business Centre in Chiweshe after the 2008 elections.

The party said the 14 were part of some 500 supporters killed in clashes around the country at the time.

“In 2009, the MDC submitted a list to the Attorney General and the Police Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri with the list of the perpetrators of violence but no arrest and prosecution have been made up to now,” the party said in a statement.

Labels: 2013 ELECTIONS (ZW), MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

posted by MrK @ 8:29 PM