21 November 2007
Frank Nyakairu — ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe's main political rival Morgan Tsvangirai is in the country and is expected to take part in a debate over the crisis in his home country.
Mr Tsvangirai is the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and has for years been a fervent critic of Mr Mugabe's regime.
"He will....be participating in a debate on the crisis in Zimbabwe," Mr Miles Gilam, one of the organisers of the Royal Commonwealth Society that invited Mr Tsvangirai said yesterday.
The subject of debate is; "Zimbabwe in crisis, time for Commonwealth action."
Other speakers include; the Secretary General of Civicus, a South Africa based organisation, Mr Kumi Naidoo and the Director of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Mr Maja Daruwala at Grand Imperial later today.
In the build up to today's summit, the government moved to dismiss speculation that Mr Mugabe would be invited. Zimbabwe withdrew from the Commonwealth after the controversial 2002 elections.
Who is Tsvangirai?
A BBC profile describes Mr Tsvangirai as having risen from working in a mine to become one of the most important political figures in Zimbabwe - even if his dreams of becoming president remain elusive.
A charismatic speaker, he is a brave man - constantly running the risk of arrest or assassination since emerging several years ago as a credible challenger to President Mugabe.
As the leader of Zimbabwe's opposition, he has been called a traitor on many occasions, been brutally assaulted and been charged with treason.
Just before the presidential elections in 2002, a mysterious video tape emerged, which allegedly showed Mr Tsvangirai discussing how to assassinate Mr Mugabe with a Canadian consultancy, Dickens and Madson.
The head of the consultancy, Mr Ari Ben-Menashe, used to work as a lobbyist for the Zimbabwe Government and he calls Mr Tsvangirai "stupid" for even speaking to him, let alone allegedly discussing killing the president. Mr Tsvangirai was acquitted, but for 20 months he had the possibility of a death penalty hanging over his head. He was charged with treason a second time in 2003, after calling for mass protests to oust Mr Mugabe.
These fizzled out under the force of police truncheons. In September 2000, he told a rally of his Movement for Democratic Change: "If Mugabe does not go peacefully, he will be removed by force."
The 52-year-old eldest son of a bricklayer says this was not a threat of armed rebellion but a warning of popular discontent.
These treason charges were deemed unconstitutional but he does have a tendency to open his mouth before considering the consequences.
Mr Mugabe snootily calls him an "ignoramus" because of his humble background and lack of education.
Some MDC activists have accused him of not doing enough to stand up to the authorities, especially since the controversial 2002 elections, which Mr Tsvangirai says were rigged.
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