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Mugabe
boosted by rivals' poll split
Alec
Russel, Financial Times (UK)
July 30, 2007
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/29cd0492-3e06-11dc-8f6a-0000779fd2ac,_i_rssPage=ff3cbaf6-3024-11da-ba9f-00000e2511c8.html
In a fillip to President
Robert Mugabe, the breakaway wing of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement
for Democratic Change has decided to contest next year's elections
on its own, ending the chance of a united opposition against the
government.
In a sign of the bitterness
that marks relations between the two wings, Arthur Mutambara, leader
of the breakaway faction, described the other leader, Morgan Tsvangirai
as "weak and indecisive" and having a "perverted
agenda". The larger wing, led by Mr Tsvangirai, merely said
it was still fighting for the unification of all democratic forces
against the "common enemy", Mr Mugabe.
The failure of talks
aimed at healing the two-year-old split is a blow to the opposition's
chances of mounting a serious challenge at presidential and parliamentary
elections planned for March.
Emboldened by the opposition's
weakness, Mr Mugabe is expected to push for the elections to be
held then and not to cede to calls by some in the opposition for
a delay. Analysts expect that after months of obstructionism his
delegates will take a more conciliatory line at the mediation talks
being hosted by South Africa.
President Thabo Mbeki
of South Africa, who was mandated by regional leaders in March to
mediate between the MDC and Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party, on
Sunday played down speculation that the process was close to collapse.
He expressed confidence the MDC and Zanu-PF would reach an agreement
paving the way for free and fair elections next year.
Neither wing of the MDC
shares that optimism. Since its formation seven years ago, the MDC
has faced brutal intimidation from the security forces in the countdown
to two parliamentary elections and one presidential poll, all of
which it lost in disputed circumstances.
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