ZIMBABWE: PRESIDENT MUGABE RENEWS HIS ATTACK ON BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR.

Record ID: 355585

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: PRESIDENT MUGABE RENEWS HIS ATTACK ON BRITISH PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR.
  • Date: 7th March 2002
  • Summary: (W5) KADOMA, ZIMBABWE (MARCH 7, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV/MV: DANCERS PERFORMING IN TRADITIONAL COSTUMES (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. GV: CROWD OF SUPPORTERS 0.15 3. MV: ZIMBABWEAN PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE GREETING SUPPORTERS OF ZANU-PF (2 SHOTS) 0.30 4. MV/GV: VARIOUS OF CROWD (3 SHOTS) 0.44 5. GV: MUGABE ADDRESSING THE CROW
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KADOMA AND HARARE, ZIMBABWE
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Reuters ID: LVA7E1JJO9W6PIZV9T1QCILLE4KB
  • Story Text: As Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe continued his
    attacks on British premier Tony Blair. His main opposition
    Morgan Tsvangirai accused him of "moving the goalposts".



    Speaking at a rally on Thursday (March 7) in Kadoma
    south of the capital Harare, Mugabe said Blair would fail. At
    a rally in Kadoma, 150 km (nearly 100 miles) south of Harare,
    Mugabe told about 10,000 supporters that he would retain power
    in the weekend poll after being shaken by the MDC in
    parliamentary elections in 2000.

    "Let them start weeping and keeping the vigil of the
    downfall of Blair in Zimbabwe. He's going to fall and have a
    fall and a real dramatic fall here. He's going to fail. And
    his prodigy (Tsvangirai) is not going to succeed," he declared
    to a large cheering crowd.

    In Harare, Tsvangirai told a news conference that even if
    he won, there was no doubt that the elections had not been
    free and fair.

    "The ruling party has crafted and implemented every
    imaginable trick to assist it's fortunes in this elections.

    The ruling party again has changed the goal posts,
    disregarding court rulings and setting new rules all aimed at
    inconveniencing and deterring people from voting," he added.

    Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has been rallying his
    supporters ahead of elections at the weekend. The election
    campaign has been overshadowed by apparently undemocratic
    practices by the ruling Zanu-PF.

    Zimbabwe's army has been put on high alert ahead of this
    weekend's election, a local newspaper reported on Thursday,
    and President Robert Mugabe threatened retribution against his
    challenger after the vote.

    The private Financial Gazette weekly reported that Mugabe
    had also recalled soldiers from leave and ordered those who
    live outside military barracks to stay home, ready to deal
    with any trouble after the elections on Saturday and Sunday.

    It said Mugabe had withdrawn some troops from the
    Democratic Republic of Congo, where they support the Kinshasa
    government against rebels, to beef up security.

    One of Mugabe's senior officials said earlier this week
    the ruling ZANU-PF party would support a military coup if
    Mugabe lost power after the vote, in which he faces the
    greatest challenge of his 22-year rule since independence from
    Britain in 1980.

    Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai accused
    Robert Mugabe on Thursday of using "state terrorism" to steal
    an election in two days, but vowed he would still defeat the
    veteran president.

    Tsvangirai, addressing his last press conference before
    the presidential election on Saturday and Sunday, said
    militants from the ruling ZANU-PF party were continuing a
    systematic campaign of violence and intimidation.

    He said that in the last few days they had abducted 22
    opposition polling agents.

    He dismissed fears of an army coup but added: "The point
    will have to be made that the electoral process has been
    blatantly and outrageously distorted in favour of the ruling
    party."
    Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri dismissed a
    newspaper report that the Zimbabwe army, whose commander has
    said it will not accept a Tsvangirai victory, had been put on
    high alert for the vote. He told a press conference the army
    had taken no special measures.

    A senior opposition official said the voters' roll was
    in shambles and included at least 50,000 dead people. The
    government had withheld vital information from the opposition.

    Tsvangirai, who turns 50 on Sunday, said at least 70
    percent of Zimbabweans wanted a new government after two
    decades under Mugabe's economically ruinous rule since
    independence in 1980.

    Tsvangirai said his priority on winning power would be to
    restore law and order, address a severe food shortage
    threatening up to four million of Zimbabwe's 13 million
    people, promote national reconciliation and consider setting
    up a government of national unity.

    Dismissing threats of a coup, Tsvangirai said: "There have
    been in the heat of the moment statements from President
    Mugabe... and others threatening to overturn the will of the
    people.

    "These statements are unfortunate and should not be taken
    seriously locally and internationally," he said.

    Mugabe was campaigning around the country again on
    Thursday after warning at a rally on Wednesday that he would
    pursue his challenger once the voting was over. In contrast
    Tsvangirai promised not to harass Mugabe if he defeated the
    president.
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