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Mugabe in new bid to avoid run-off
Kitsepile Nyathi, The Nation (Kenya)
May 20, 2008

http://politics.nationmedia.com/inner.asp?pcat=Zimbabwe&cat=POLITICS&sid=1853

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe might still try to avoid the looming presidential run-off election against his long-time rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, by pushing for a unity government with the opposition, insiders have revealed. The talk of a unity government has been re-ignited by Mr Mugabe's frank admission that his ruling party is seriously divided and in danger of disintegrating because of its failure to manage his succession. Election-weary Zimbabweans vote in the second round of presidential elections on June 27, but a member of the Zanu PF's supreme decision-making body, the politburo, has talked of spirited efforts to broker an alliance between the ruling party and the opposition before the poll. Mr Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) beat Mr Mugabe, 84, in the first round on March 29 but failed to avoid the run-off. This sparked off a violent fight-back by Zanu PF supporters, which has already claimed the lives of 42 opposition supporters and displaced thousands.

Key regional election monitors have warned that the environment is not conducive to an election, with thousands of voters too terrified to return to their homes and the country's economy in a tailspin as result of the violence. A senior member of Mr Mugabe's ruling Zanu PF, Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, who led a campaign to replace the aging leader ahead of the March elections, said Mr Tsvangirai had been invited for the unity government talks. The opposition leader, in exile in South Africa and Botswana since last month, has on several occasions postponed his return, saying he feared for his life. "Tsvangirai said he had been approached by Zanu PF and they were prepared to forego a run-off in favour of establishing a government of national unity," said Dr Dabengwa, a politburo member. The former Home Affairs Minister said he had told Mr Tsvangirai "not to think twice" about the talks as they were the only solution to the country's problems.

His comments also came in the wake of reports that Mr Mugabe's close allies were also against the run-off, which they fear would embarrass the ruling party and hasten the country's economic decline. The country's central bank governor, Dr Gideon Gono, who has been singled out as one of the veteran leader's few remaining supporters in government, has also publicly spoken in favor of a transitional government instead of the run-off. Dr Gono told a local weekly paper last week that he was convinced that "scorched earth policies" during the run-off would only further damage the economy and social fabric. He said unless parties exercised restraint during the run-off, "there may be no Zimbabwean economy to talk of", adding that political violence would only fuel divisions. Those pushing for a unity government within Zanu PF are, however, reportedly being blocked by hard-liners who lost their parliamentary seats to the opposition and have tied their fate to Mr Mugabe's bouncing back.

The hard-liners, who include Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mr Patrick Chinamasa, have since taken over Mr Mugabe's campaign from those who were in charge ahead of the initial poll, accusing them of letting the party down. They have also led a purge of senior managers in the state media, whom they accuse of giving the opposition too much time to campaign. Zimbabwe reportedly needs $60 million to fund the run-off at a time it is struggling to import essential drugs, hospital equipment, food and fuel. The MDC says its leaders are being targeted for assassination by the country's military intelligence, which has prevented Mr Tsvangirai from returning home to re-launch his campaign. But it has dismissed reports that it is negotiating with Zanu PF to form a transitional government that would pave the way for fresh elections under the supervision of the international community. "The environment is not at all conducive to any talks, and we are not talking," said MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa. "The run-off is not going to be free and fair, but despite that, it is going to be a walkover on Mugabe."

The two MDC factions enjoy a slim majority in parliament after they ousted the ruling party for the first time since independence. However, senior officials have acknowledged that the opposition party would not be able to govern without Zanu PF's cooperation, regardless of the outcome of the run-off. Meanwhile, the MDC says it has appealed to the Southern African Development Community to put more pressure on the Zimbabwean government to guarantee Mr Tsvangirai's safety before he returns home. The party launched its campaign on Sunday without Mr Tsvangirai after his security team allegedly received fresh reports that the military was planning to assassinate him when he returns. Human rights group warn that the situation continues to deteriorate, with more reports of gruesome attacks against opposition leaders and supporters by the ruling party militia. "The government blames the attacks on the MDC and white commercial farmers.

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