21/08/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
THE MDC-T said Wednesday that it was not concerned with the decision by regional leaders to back President Robert Mugabe’s re-election and dismissed the veteran leader’s inauguration Thursday as “stage managed charade”.
The party, which is led by outgoing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, has rejected its comprehensive defeat in the July 31 elections.
But it suffered a huge blow last weekend when SADC leaders endorsed Mugabe’s re-election for another five year term during a summit in Malawi.
A number of the regional leaders are also expected to attend Mugabe’s inauguration on Thursday after the country’s top court dismissed Tsvangirai petition against the vote and ruled that election was free and fair.
“Whilst some external and internal institutions have endorsed Robert Mugabe’s fraudulent victory, the people of Zimbabwe whose vote was stolen have certainly not endorsed him,” the MDC-T said in a statement.
Officials have said some 80,000 people are expected to attend Mugabe’s swearing-in at the national sports stadium in Harare after the government also moved to declare Thursday a national holiday.
A spokesman for Tsvangirai said the MDC-T leader would not attend the event which the party dismissed as a “stage-managed charade”.
“Mugabe’s inauguration is obviously the usual Zanu PF charade of stage managed crowds who are frog marched and railroaded to attend the sham function at the National Sports Stadium,” the party said.
“With Zanu PF frantically attempting to make (the) function a grand affair and re-live Mugabe’s 1980 victory celebration, (the) inauguration is nothing but a non-event akin to the 2008 soloist run which is void of any legitimacy.
“The event which is preceded by Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku’s insistence (on hearing) Tsvangirai’s appeal even though the MDC leader had withdrawn the matter last Friday evening raises more eyebrows than approval from the people of Zimbabwe.
“The people of Zimbabwe see this as nothing but a desperate ploy by the judiciary to legitimise Mugabe’s disputed victory just before the inauguration which the same judiciary is set to preside and solemnise.
“Further to this, the judiciary of this country must never give an impression that they are beyond reproach. It should be clear that in a democracy such institutions as the judiciary should be subjected to public scrutiny.
“Consequently, the latest attempt to arrest lawyers who were representing President Tsvangirai in the election petition is most unfortunate and seriously puts to question the credibility and impartiality of our judiciary system.”
Labels: MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, ROBERT MUGABE, SADC
posted by MrK @ 4:15 PM
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