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Blast of disapproval for Robert Mugabe rival
Jan Raath, The Times (UK)
February 07, 2008

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article3321992.ece

The emergence of a new rival to President Mugabe, challenging him for the presidency from within the ruling party's own ranks, has been greeted by Zimbabwe's media with more than the usual bile reserved for the 83-year-old leader's opponents.

The state-controlled daily newspaper, The Herald, said yesterday that the announcement by Simba Makoni, a politburo member, that he would be standing for president in elections on March 29 was less than the "bombshell" described by most mainstream media. It was "the loud fart all silently agree never happened," it said, quoting from Dambudzo Marechera, the late Zimbabwean author.

State radio reported the unexpected challenge within hours of Mr Makoni's statement, but then said that the presence at his press conference of officials from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change and one each from the British and American embassies "raises suspicion of a hidden hand".

Yesterday The Herald was more direct, saying that the diplomats were "linked to to the formation of a new party aimed at unseating the ruling Zanu (PF) government and President Mugabe."

The language has been used continuously over the last eight years to discredit Morgan Tsvangirai, the founder of the now-divided opposition Movement for Democratic Change, claiming that Britain and America have installed him as the opposition leader and charged him with causing mayhem to overthrow the Government.

Mr Makoni "has been sent to do someone's dirty work," The Herald said. "Simba has just subscribed to megaphone politics by giving a black face to the voices from the White House and Whitehall."

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