July 2001 Africa News Headlines

HARARE - As the counting of ballots in the weekend's heavily contested and violent Bindura constituency began yesterday morning, Didymus Mutasa, a former cabinet minister and senior Zanu-PF official, warned Zimbabweans of a possible coup if President Robert Mugabe loses power in the presidential election next year.

Mutasa said his party might have to take up arms to remain in power.

"There were coups; there are coups; there will always be coups.
Ian Smith stayed in power in this country illegally for many years," he said.

Smith and his party, the Rhodesia Front, declared independence from Britain in November 1965 and proceeded to rule Zimbabwe for about 15 years, sparking a brutal bush war whose effects are still being felt today.

Mutasa made the statement while testifying in a court case in which the victory of a Zanu-PF member of parliament, Shadreck Chipanga is being challenged by Nick Mudzengere of the opposition MDC.

"I wouldn't be surprised if somebody threatened to go to war if Zanu-PF lost the election, because Zanu-PF took to the bush and fought against the illegal regime of Ian Smith."

He, however, declined to commit himself on whether his party would respect the people's choice if they voted against it in next year's presidential election.

"I can only give assurance that Zanu-PF will cross that bridge when it comes to it," he told High Court judge, Justice Paddington Garwe.

Mutasa, Zanu-PF's secretary for external affairs, said that as a senior party member he spoke on behalf of the party.

He said while he believed that people were free to choose their leaders, this did not always happen.

The Zanu-PF and MDC fought for Bindura at the weekend.

The seat became vacant after the death, in a car accident in April, of Cabinet minister Border Gezi.

At the close of voting in Bindura on Sunday, about 25 000 had cast their ballots . - News24

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