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Zimbabwe: I Am Ready to Quit If Defeated, Says Mugabe
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The Nation (Nairobi)
28 March 2008
Posted to the web 28 March 2008
Kitsepile Nyathi
Harare
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe backtracked from his weekend threats that the opposition will not rule the country even if it wins Saturday's crucial elections.
He made the remarks as the main protagonists wound up their hectic one-month campaigns on Thursday.
The spectacular about-turn by the 84-year-old leader, whose push for a consecutive sixth term would see him in office for a total of 33 years at the helm of the Southern Africa country, came as fears of post-election violence took centre stage in the largely peaceful campaign.
Addressing one of his last rallies in the eastern resort of Nyanga on the border with Mozambique, Mr Mugabe said he would accept defeat and urged his opponents to do the same to avoid post-election violence.
"You must be prepared to lose," Mr Mugabe was quoted as saying by the state-run Herald newspaper.
You must accept it
"If Zanu PF wins you must accept it.
"If you win, we will accept, we have accepted it all along as you have been winning in town, we have never refused. There was never an occasion we said you did not win."
According to the country's electoral laws, candidates can canvass for votes even on election day but the main parties, the ruling Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), as well as independent presidential candidate Dr Simba Makoni, said their last scheduled rallies would be on Friday.
Candidates are only restricted from campaigning within 100 metres of polling stations on election day.
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Analysts say the contenders had been drawn into discussing possibilities of post-election violence because of deep-seated fears that the elections would be rigged in favour of Zanu PF.
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