Tsvangirai told reporters at his Strathaven residence Sunday that the MDC had won the presidential election on March 29 but it was simply impossible to ask Zimbabweans to vote for him again when it would cost them their lives.
At least 70 MDC supporters have been murdered by Zanu (PF) militia and terror troops since Zanu (PF)’s historic electoral loss on March 29.Tsvangirai said it was now up to SADC, the African Union and the United Nations to resolve the crisis.
Zambia president Levy Mwanawasa, who currently holds the SADC chairmanship, said in Lusaka Sunday that he would push for a postponement of the run off until the playing field has been leveled.South African President Thabo Mbeki, SADC’s point man in resolving the Zimbabwe crisis, said it was imperative that both Robert Mugabe and Tsvangirai keep the lines of communication open.
Tsvangirai told reporters he had called off the election mainly because of State-sponsored violence, because his campaigns were being stifled, and because his structures were being decimated by Zanu (PF) ahead of the run off.He also cited as reasons for his boycott, the bias by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which he said had been stuffed with Mugabe cronies and had thrown away all pretence at impartiality.
The MDC leader said he had totally failed to access publicly-funded media to flight his adverts or to reach a critical mass audience.He took great exception to statements by Mugabe that he would not accept the results of the election if he lost and his implicit threats of a coup with war-like rhetoric.
Tsvangirai, who was flanked by his deputy Thokozani Kuphe and MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa, said he had information revealing Zanu (PF)’s elaborate rigging strategy, including how the postal balloting system had been rigged. Security service officers cast their ballots last week in the presence of their commanders and were forced to vote for Mugabe or lose their job.
Tsvangirai said no one was willing to be a polling agent any more because of the violence, adding many people had been internally displaced while many others had their IDs confiscated.Therefore, we in the MDC have resolved that we will no longer participate in this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process, Tsvangirai said.. The courageous people of this country and the people of the MDC have done everything humanly and democratically possible to deliver a new Zimbabwe under a new government. We urge SADC, AU and the United Nations to intervene urgently in this unprecedented situation to restore the rule of law, peace, and conditions for a free and fair election.
Tsvangirai said he was going to articulate the MDC vision and the way forward to the people of Zimbabwe and the world on Wednesday after further consultations with his constituents.Zanu (PF) spokesman Patrick Chinamasa claimed Tsvangirai had pulled out of the election to avoid a humiliating defeat.
Tsvangirai paid tribute to the suppressed masses of Zimbabwe who have been maimed, raped, tortured, lost homes and properties in the pursuit of a noble cause of wishing to see a free and democratic Zimbabwe.
I sympathize with you over the loss of your loved ones in these final phases of the struggle, he said. Victory is certain, it can only be delayed.Â
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