Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Launches Election Campaign

Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday fired warning shots at President Robert Mugabe, vowing to oust the veteran leader in next month’s presidential elections.

Addressing thousands of supporters in Mutare during the launch of his party’s March 2008 elections, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader promised to inflict the severest blow to Mugabe’s 27-year reign on the country.

Mutare is located about 260 kilometers to the north of the capital Harare and is the provincial capital of Tsvangirai’s home province.

The opposition leader said Mugabe’s days in power were numbered, citing the increased agitation among Zimbabweans battling an unprecedented economic crisis highlighted by world record inflation of more than 100,000 percent and shortages of foodstuffs.

Tsvangirai narrowly lost to Mugabe in the disputed 2002 presidential polls that were described as flawed by Western observers but endorsed as free and fair by African monitors.

The Zimbabwe Supreme Court is yet to rule on Tsvangirai’s challenge to the 2002 poll results.

Zimbabweans go to the polls to choose representatives in combined presidential, parliamentary, senatorial and council elections set for March 29.

The presidential poll is expected to be a three-way race involving Mugabe, Tsvangirai and former finance minister Simba Makoni who announced early this month his decision to challenge Mugabe for the sole ticket to occupy State House in Harare.

Source African Press Agency

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