MDC pulls out, as Mugabe remains defiant

Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader of the Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe has quit the run-off poll slated for Friday 27th against president Robert Mugabe citing pre-poll violence. At the same time president Mugabe has remained defiant against International criticism regarding his involvement in the violence that has largely targeted the opposition supporters.

Tsvangirai said that he was quitting the race because the race had degenerated into a one-sided-affair". He was addressing a press conference on Sunday afternoon in his Strathaven home in Harare's central suburbs, where he remained categorical that MDC was not legitimizing the Mugabe leadership, by quiting the run off polls. An MDC official Tineyi Munetsi, said MDC was quitting because " This is not an election, this is a war, and we will not legitimize it by taking part in what is a farce.

Earlier, president Robert Mugabe had stated that MDC would be held accountable for poll violence and that MDC would "never, ever" rule Zimbabwe. And the Zimbabwean defense Forces Commander General Constantine Chiwenga had predicted a resounding win for President Mugabe in Friday's historic presidential run-off, saying that Zimbabwe would consequently not apologize to what he called "house nigger" and puppets of the British after President Mugabe's victory.

President Mugabe has remained defiant that the opposition is an "extension of imperialism" amidst growing criticism on the Zimbabwe situation. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said that "The people of Zimbabwe had declared war against any interest which seeks to recolonise this country,". However, Zambia's president Levy mwanawasa added his voice on criticizing Mugabe to what the US has termed as illegitimate regime by saying that Zimbabwe situation was an "embarrassment" to the region. ZANUPF has vowed to continue with its campaign preparations saying that MDC had not officially withdrawn from the race.

Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) quit amidst claims that more than 80 of its supporters have been killed and and about 200,000 displaced in a state-sponsored campaign of violence designed to prevent it from winning the run-off poll.

--
"The price of greatness is responsibility." Winston Churchill