The Daily News (Harare)
3 April 2005
Johannesburg — President Robert Mugabe has warned Zimbabwe's main opposition against taking to the streets to protest its defeat in Thursday's parliamentary poll. He has threatened that his government "can also raise mass action against mass action, and there would naturally be conflicts, serious conflicts," as a result.
President Mugabe delivered the warning at a press conference on Saturday as flyers circulated in Harare urging Zimbabweans to reject the results of the elections. But there was little evidence that Zimbabweans were prepared to protest the elections, which the opposition and western governments have said are fraudulent.
The election results gave Mugabe's Zanu PF an overwhelming two-thirds majority in parliament after the ruling party won 78 seats to the 41 of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mugabe is allowed to handpick an additional 30 MPs.
Jonathan Moyo, a former Minister of Information stood as an independent in Tsholotsho and won.
Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader, on Saturday said his party will consult Zimbabweans on the best way forward. Earlier Tsvangirai had hinted his supporters would protest if Zanu PF were to win fraudulently.
"Today the world has seen the extent to which Mugabe is determined to hold on to power without due regard to the people," Tsvangirai said at a news conference in Harare after a crisis meeting of the opposition party's national executive committee.
"This election cannot be accepted as a reflection of Zimbabwe's will," he said.
At a news conference at State House on Saturday, President Mugabe urged the MDC to accept defeat gracefully and said he would be willing to work with it inside and outside parliament. But he made it clear that he would not tolerate even peaceful protests by MDC supporters.
"They are not a peaceful people," Mugabe said. "Law and order instruments will be used to prevent any mass action that is likely to lead to lawlessness in the country."
Mugabe said he had a choice of either mobilizing a mass action by Zanu PF supporters to counter the MDC mass action or to use law enforcement agents to quell the protests.
He urged the MDC to accept defeat and stop looking for reasons "that might complicate relations" just to dispute the results of the elections".
"I also want to pass a message to the MDC that in any fight and in any sporting game only one emerges as a winner. The losing side, although it gets disappointed, must not think this is the end of the world," he said.
"We would want this to become the basis on which we interact. We are fully prepared as Zanu PF members of parliament to interact with MDC MPs in a manner that is national and that recognises that we have a mission to fulfill - that is to make sure that Parliament works. Sure, we will remain ready to interact with the MDC or any member of society. This is what we have always been."
The 81-year-old leader said although he was furious at British Prime Minister Tony Blair for accusing him of violating human rights, he was ready to bury the hatchet.
President Mugabe said Blair had failed to recognise Britain's obligation to compensate white commercial farmers when he came to power under a previous accord negotiated at Zimbabwe's independence in 1980.
He accused Blair of waging a campaign of lies against Zimbabwe over the seizures of white farms in 2000 and human rights violations.
"That's false and we are very angry at that but if he wants reconciliation we are ready," President Mugabe said. "To tell you the truth we have been on the receiving end of the blows inflicted on us by Mr Blair in various ways."
He cited Britain's role in pressing for Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth club of former colonies and to have sanctions imposed by the European Union in 2002.
Mugabe, who has been at loggerheads with Blair in recent years, said that the British Prime Minister had apparently admitted to South African President Thabo Mbeki that he regretted his handling of the land reform issue.
"President Mbeki did tell me that he actually admitted to him that yes, they neglected this issue and that they were on the wrong side and we were right," Mugabe said.
The result clears the way for President Mugabe to set up a second parliamentary chamber representing traditional chiefs, retired politicians and other eminent Zimbabweans without holding a referendum. Critics accuse President Mugabe of wanting to pack the Senate with his cronies to tighten his grip and to pick a successor without holding interim elections. Asked when he intends to step down President Mugabe responded jokingly that he would go on until he reached 100. "When I am a century old," he laughed.
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