Zimbabwe Ruling Party “Unperturbed” By Opposition Withdrawal – Minister

Text of report by South Africa-based Zim Online website on 23 June

[Report by Wayne Mafaro:"Zim Govt Eager To Claim Easy Victory"]

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s government appeared eager on Sunday to claim an easy victory, urging opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to notify electoral authorities of his decision to withdraw from next Friday’s presidential run-off election so that President Robert Mugabe could be declared winner.

Tsvangirai, who defeated Mugabe in the first round voting in March and remained favourite to win the run-off poll despite political violence against his supporters, announced he was pulling out of the election because a free and fair vote was impossible because of widespread political violence.

Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said the ruling ZANU PF [Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front] party was unperturbed by Tsvangirai’s decision to pull out, adding the party was pressing ahead with preparations for the June 27 vote but would be equally happy if Mugabe was declared winner because his challenger decided to pull out of the race.

Matonga told ZimOnline: “The law requires that he (Tsvangirai) notifies the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) in writing of his decision to withdraw upon which the other candidate is declared winner.”

Matonga urged Tsvangirai to write to the ZEC about his decision to pull out which he said remained a mere “gimmick” unless it was communicated to the electoral commission in writing.

The run-off poll is being held because Tsvangirai defeated Mugabe in March but fell short of the margin required to take over the presidency.

Violence and intimidation of supporters of Tsvangirai’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party erupted soon after the March polls and has worsened as the run-off date approached, with the opposition accusing the ruling party of carrying out a systematic campaign to force people not to support the opposition in the crucial run-off election.

Mugabe – who has repeatedly vowed never to hand power to the opposition that he says is a puppet of Britain and the West – denies authorising violence and instead accuses the MDC of carrying out violence in a bid to tarnish his name Tsvangirai, who has been detained by police five times while campaigning, said 86 MDC supporters had been killed and 200,000 displaced from their homes since March.

“We in the MDC have resolved that we will no longer participate in this violent illegitimate sham of an election process,” he said announcing his decision to pull out of the election.

The opposition leader called for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Union and United Nations to intervene in Zimbabwe to restore the rule of law, peace and conditions for a free and fair election.

South Africa, whose President Thabo Mbeki is SADC’s mediator in Zimbabwe, on Sunday urged Tsvangirai to continue to participate in dialogue to find a solution to the country’s problems.

“We are very encouraged that Mr Tsvangirai, himself, says he is not closing the door completely on negotiations,” said Mukoni Ratshitanga, the spokesman for Mbeki.

Meanwhile MDC secretary general Tendai Biti is due in court on Tuesday to answer to charges of treason arising from a controversial document that the state claims was authored by the opposition politician and outlines plans to seize power through unconstitutional means.

Biti denies penning the document while his party claims that his arrest and trial as well as the arrest of several other MDC leaders was just part of an attempt by the government to derail and destabilize the opposition party.

Biti faces the death penalty if convicted of treason.

Originally published by Zim Online, Johannesburg, in English 23 Jun 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Africa. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.