ZIMBABWE: Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai calls for free and fair elections

Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai called for free and fair elections at a speech to party supporters in Harare on Sunday (July 29). "Why don't you allow Zimbabweans to choose their own government," Tsvangirai asked referring to previous elections in which Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party were accused by the opposition of vote rigging. Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has vowed to run for another five-year term next year despite widespread accusations that his government has abused human rights and destroyed the country's once prosperous economy. "How can you say you are running a free and fair contest, when you first put soldiers and militias to scare people," Tsvangirai said to cheering supporters. South African President Thabo Mbeki has warned that elections in neighbouring Zimbabwe next year must be "free and fair" and produce a government legitimate in the eyes of the people of the devastated nation. Mbeki added he was confident President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change would reach an agreement paving the way for clean general elections in 2008. Zimbabweans are struggling with soaring poverty, inflation of about 5,000 percent and chronic shortages of food, fuel and foreign exchange amid an eight-year depression. Thousands every day cross illegally into South Africa to look for food and work. Mugabe's government blames the problems on sabotage by Britain and other Western nations. The situation has worsened in the past month since Zimbabwe's government began enforcing a radical price rollback scheme intended to stem soaring inflation. The measures have led stores to stop stocking milk, bread and other basic items, pushing the economy toward collapse.

ITN Source | July 30, 2007

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