14 June 2008
Harare — FORTY prominent Africans have asked President Robert Mugabe for assurances the 27 June Presidential election run-off will be free and fair, as Botswana called in Zimbabwe's envoy in Gaborone to protest the arrests of MDC leaders.
Pressure continues to mount on Zimbabwe ahead of the arrival tomorrow of the United Nations envoy, Haile Menkerios.
Meanwhile, the University of Massachusetts' Board of Trustees on Thursday voted unanimously to strip Mugabe of an honorary degree bestowed on him in 1986 calling his politics "egregious" and his leadership an "assault on human rights".
The group of African leaders, including former UN chief Kofi Annan and Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, urged an end to violence and intimidation ahead of the run-off.
Former leaders Ghana's Jerry Rawlings, Mozambique's Joaquim Chissano and Nigeria's Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar added their names to the letter.
Botswana's Foreign Minister Phandu Sekeleman told the BBC the arrests of opposition leaders amounted to harassment.
"These repeated arrests do not augur well for a free, fair and democratic election - people must be free to campaign," Sekeleman told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
But Mugabe yesterday reiterated the MDC would never rule Zimbabwe even if it won this month's presidential election run-off.
Addressing mourners at Heroes' Acre in Harare, Mugabe said Zimbabwe would "never be ruled by a white man again, directly or indirectly". He was speaking at the burial of Retired Lieutenant General Amoth Norbert Chingombe, who died last Monday aged 58.
Mugabe lost to MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the first round on 29 March.
Yesterday, he said: "Let the MDC get this very, very clearly: if they wish to play (any part) in the politics of this country, let them drop the white man, drop the British, drop the Americans".
He said anyone who sought to undermine the land reform programme "seeks and gets war".
The burial was attended mostly by officers from the security forces.
Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader, Mugabe's challenger, was arrested on two occasions last week while on his campaign trail, buttressing the decision by the University of Massachusetts to withdraw Mugabe's degree.
MDC secretary general Tendai Biti is likely to appear at the Harare Magistrates' Court tomorrow for initial remand, his lawyer, Lewis Uriri, said yesterday.
Biti was arrested when he returned to the country from South Africa on Thursday. He is facing a treason charge which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted.
He is also being accused of "communicating malicious falsehoods prejudicial to the State".
The police yesterday produced Biti before High Court Judge Ben Hlatshwayo, who had earlier issued an order to that effect following the defence's complaints they were being denied access to their client.
"The police explained they never denied us access to him," Uriri said. "They said we spoke to the wrong people -- that is, junior officers -- instead of talking to seniors."
He said Biti would be held at Matapi Police Station in Mbare.
Tsvangirai says more than 60 of his supporters have been murdered while hundreds have been admitted to hospital with various injuries, including broken limbs and serious burns.
The University of Massachusetts' decision to withdraw Mugabe's degree is the first in its history. It follows years of campaigning by the students, concerned about Mugabe's atrocious human rights record.
"In the two decades that have passed since the honorary degree was awarded, Robert Mugabe has pursued policies and taken actions that are anti-ethical to the values and beliefs of the University of Massachusetts," university President Jack Wilson said in a statement last month.
"I must recommend that we sever the connection that was formed when Robert Mugabe appeared to be a force for positive change in Africa. Today, that promise no longer exists."
Mugabe told supporters on Thursday he would immediately take Zimbabwe back to war if Tsvangirai beat him on 27 June.
Senior officials from both Zanu PF and the MDC said they were unaware of Menkerios' visit.
But the UN last week confirmed Menkerios would be in Zimbabwe from tomorrow until Friday. The UN said his visit would be a follow-up to discussions between Mugabe and the UN Secretary General in Rome two weeks ago.
"Haile Menkerios, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, is expected to visit Zimbabwe from next Monday (tomorrow) until 20 June ... Mr. Menkerios will discuss the political situation and the upcoming presidential election - which is scheduled to take place on 27 June - while in the Southern African country," the UN said.
UN officials and diplomats reportedly met in Harare on Thursday to plan for the visit by the former Eritrean diplomat. Details of the meeting were not immediately available.
A UN official in Harare confirmed they were "expecting the Assistant Secretary General and his team on Monday (tomorrow)"
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