Mugabe tells supporters to prepare for new election

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By Lebo Nkatazo
Posted to the web: 05/12/2008 10:25:13
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe raised the prospect of dissolving parliament and calling a fresh election on Thursday in a move aimed at resolving a dispute with the opposition over a power sharing government.

"If we call for elections, you must be prepared," Mugabe said in comments broadcast on state television after meeting members of his ruling Zanu PF party in Harare.

An opposition spokesman said it would welcome a "genuine election," with international supervision.

If MDC leaders are not ready to join the national unity government, Mugabe said he would go ahead and appoint a Cabinet to take charge for at least the two-and-half years.

"We agreed to give them 13 ministries while sharing the ministry of home affairs, but if the arrangement fails to work in the next one-and-a-half to two years, then we would go for elections," said the 84-year-old leader who has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980.

Mugabe and his opposition rivals Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara inked a power sharing deal on September 15 following disputed elections in June. The power sharing deal has verged on collapse as Mugabe and Tsvangirai haggle over the control of the Home Affairs ministry under which the police falls.

Regional leaders have suggested that the portfolio be rotated between the parties – a suggestion first brought up by Tsvangirai. But the MDC leader has backpedalled from that position and insists on full control.

Luke Tamborinyoka, the director of information in Tsvangirai’s MDC said: "The MDC has always been ready for a genuine election -- even yesterday. We have always won."

But Tamborinyoka said he feared a violent crackdown on the opposition in the run-up to such an election.

"Mugabe can talk of an election when he is referring to an onslaught on the opposition as he did in the run-up to the June presidential runoff,” he said. “We want an election under international supervision, in which people can express their wishes freely. Violence and abductions of opposition members should not be part of the environment of an election."

The South African government has refused to give up on the power sharing deal. A spokesman said Thursday that he expected Mugabe and his rivals to agree shortly on a constitutional amendment Bill that’s due before the country’s parliament, and gives effect to the unity government.

"We expect the amendment should be signed within a matter of days," government spokesman Themba Maseko told reporters at a cabinet briefing.

"We will put pressure on the political principals to sign as soon as possible," he added.
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