Tsvangirai calls for parties poll pact

Speaking at a Harare Church last week, Tsvangirai said: “The country is better off if the political leadership (were) to come up with a roadmap with clear benchmarks of what the conditions of that election will be.”

Tsvangirai, who before his remarks last week had already declared he would not participate in elections that are violent, said: We have stated that we do not want to be part of any war (electoral violence). We want people to elect their government freely.

But there are growing fears that political violence resurgent in many parts of the country could worsen once a new vote is called, especially because the unity government has done little or nothing to achieve national healing and reconciliation or to reform the security forces blamed of masterminding violence in previous elections.

Mugabe and his Zanu (PF) party have sought to cast Tsvangirais concerns about political violence as fear of defeat at the polls and sign that his MDC-T party was not ready for elections.

But Tsvangirai said his party was ready for elections, however it would not take part in a vote in which the will of the electorate will not be upheld.

“We will go to any election, but (the question is) what kind of an election? Is it a credible, legitimate one or.. an election which does not respect the will of the people,” said Tsvangirai, who in 2008 boycotted a second round presidential ballot citing state-sponsored attacks against his supporters.