SOUTH AFRICA: MDC Secretary General says Robert Mugabe is not part of Zimbabwe's future

Record ID: 455826

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: MDC Secretary General says Robert Mugabe is not part of Zimbabwe's future
  • Date: 9th May 2008
  • Summary: (BN02) CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 8, 2008) (REUTERS) AUDIENCE LISTENING TO MDC (MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE ) SECRETARY GENERAL, TENDAI BITI ADRESSING SEMINAR ON ZIMBABWE AUDIENCE LISTENING TENDAI BITI AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (English) MDC (MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE ) SECRETARY GENERAL, TENDAI BITI SAYING: "We draw a line with Robert Mugabe. Robert is not part of the future. Robert Mugabe's time is up. He cannot be part of a constituent element of any construction of settlement that avoids a run-off in Zimbabwe but the most critical thing, the most critical thing is any agreement must be one based on substance. Any agreement must not be an opportunistic agreement that is there to resolve the conflicts of elites. It must be an agenda-based, substance-based agreement." PEOPLE LISTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) MDC (MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE) SECRETARY GENERAL, TENDAI BITI SAYING: "But yes, there must be a solution and the fundamental non-negotiated principle is that whatever solution that is going to be there must respect the principle of democracy, must respect the people's vote of the 29th March 2008. That is a non-negotiated principle. That means that Morgan Tsvangirai must be in charge of whatever matrix, whatever construction you seek to put place as part of that solution." AUDIENCE APPLAUSE
  • Embargoed: 24th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA4LTMU4I5NMCOFHI0K2PSACPX0
  • Story Text: MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti says Robert Mugabe's time as president of Zimababwe is up. He made the comments at a seminar on Zimbabwe in Cape Town.
    Zimbabwe's opposition said on Thursday (May 8) that it is still not planning to participate in a presidential run-off against President Robert Mugabe.
    The Movement for Democratic Change believes its leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the outright majority in the March 29 election he needed to avoid a second round. But if he does not contest, Mugabe is automatically declared the winner.

    "We draw a line with Robert Mugabe. Robert is not part of the future. Robert Mugabe's time is up. He cannot be part of a constituent element of any construction of settlement that avoids a run-off in Zimbabwe but the most critical thing, the most critical thing is any agreement must be one based on substance. Any agreement must not be an opportunistic agreement that is there to resolve the conflicts of elites. It must be an agenda based substance based agreement," MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti told an audience at a seminar on Zimbabwe in Cape Town.
    But he added the party will hold talks with civic society groups from Zimbabwe in Pretoria on Saturday and hold a news conference afterwards "to put this issue to rest".
    South Africa's Foreign Ministry said President Thabo Mbeki, who has been a primary regional mediator in Zimbabwe, will travel to Harare on Friday to meet political leaders.
    Mbeki, who has faced a barrage of criticism for not taking a tough line with Mugabe, had said there was no crisis in his southern African neighbour.
    Tsvangirai has said Mbeki was no longer fit to mediate in Zimbabwe.
    Weeks of political stalemate have increased tensions in Zimbabwe, which is suffering an economic meltdown that has sent millions of people fleeing to neighbouring countries and left those who remain struggling with the world's highest inflation rate, rampant unemployment and shortages of basic necessities.
    Critics have accused the ruling ZANU-PF party of resorting to violence to frighten voters.
    Farmers' groups said ZANU-PF has pushed 40,000 workers off farms in a campaign targeting supporters of the opposition ahead of a possible presidential run-off. The groups said armed youth militias drove workers off the farms.
    Zimbabwe's government rejects accusations from the opposition, human rights groups and Western countries that ZANU-PF has launched a campaign of violence to ensure Mugabe wins a run-off. The party says the MDC has carried out attacks.
    Zimbabweans had hoped the election would usher in a period of prosperity and greater freedoms.
    Instead, they have fallen victim to a struggle between their president and Tsvangirai, who has raised questions about his leadership by touring African states seeking support from leaders instead of taking on Mugabe at home.
    Critics blame the economic collapse on Mugabe's policies, including the seizure of white-owned farms to give to landless blacks. Mugabe, 84, says sanctions imposed by his Western critics have ruined the country.
    His government has been cracking down on dissent.
    Biti called for reconciliation and said any future government should include all parties, except for Mugabe, after a comprehensive political settlement.
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