Tsvangirai threatens mass action

Tsvangirai threatens mass action

TSVANGIRAI threatened to lead 'broad coalition' to to push regime to negotiated settlement

• Bizos: Menashe a liar

• Ncube testifies at Tsvangirai trial

• Tsvangirai grilled on Menashe deal

• Herald lies over treason trial

• Mugabe was my hero - Tsvangirai

• Tsvangirai takes witness stand

• Tsvangiai calls for coalition

• Mugabe pulls Zim out of C'nwealth

By Agencies
10/03/04
ZIMBABWE opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has warned that his Movement for Democratic Change was organising a national alliance with other "democratic forces" in Zimbabwe to force President Robert Mugabe to negotiate a settlement to end the country's four-year crisis.

Read Text of MDC leader's statement

He also said in a statement that the MDC had decided it would only make a commitment whether or not to fight parliamentary elections scheduled for next year after Mugabe had agreed to hold the ballot under "universally accepted standards and norms."

Negotiations between the MDC and Mugabe's ruling ZANU(PF) party have been the subject of major contention for about 18 months, with South African president Thabo Mbeki repeatedly claiming that the
two parties are on the brink of formal talks.

While the MDC insists it is ready for unconditional talks and has issued an agenda, Mugabe has rebuffed the approaches, and two weeks ago declared that negotiations with the MDC were not possible until the MDC "becomes one of us."

Tsvangirai said that "a broad-based alliance of democratic forces" was "putting the final touches to a comprehensive programme of rolling mass action designed to push the regime to the long awaited negotiated settlement."

Details of plan would be made public later, he said.

It would "succeed in bringing back Zimbabwe to a conducive climate for a legitimately free and fair election."

The opposition party stunned Mugabe's ruling ZANU(PF) party in the last parliamentary elections in 2005 by winning, in the face of a campaign of savage violence, 57 out of 120 contested seats in the 150 seat house of assembly.

The remaining 30 MPs are appointed by Mugabe, and assured the ruling party of a comfortable majority.

Since then, independent election observers say, the government has mounted a well-oiled system of intimidation, fraud and repressive laws to make it all but impossible for the MDC to repeat its feat in 2000 and finally to crush the pro-democracy party.

Tsvangirai said in a statement that the MDC "reserves the party's right to take part in the 2005 parliamentary election until there is genuine commitment" from Mugabe to hold free and fair elections - Sapa
JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
editor@newzimbabwe.com