Mugabe warns opponents

HARARE – President Robert Mugabe issued a stark warning to his challengers that he would not tolerate post-election violence as the contest to rule Zimbabwe entered the final stretch yesterday.

As one of his two challengers said it could take a decade to fix the economy of the one-time regional role model, Mugabe fired off a fresh diatribe against his opponents whom he called stooges of former colonial power Britain. He also denied he was rigging his way to a sixth term in office after accusations from his domestic opponents as well as Western countries, which accused him of stealing victory last time round in 2002.In comments reported by the state-run Herald newspaper, Mugabe told a campaign rally in the eastern district of Nyanga that an opposition lawmaker had threatened protests similar to those which followed December’s disputed elections in Kenya.”Just dare try it,” Mugabe said.”We don’t play around while you try to please your British allies.Just try it and you will see.”When you join a political fight by way of an election, you must be prepared to lose.If Zanu-PF (Mugabe’s ruling party) wins, you must accept it, if you win we will accept,” the 84-year-old president added.Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, is facing the fiercest battle of his political career at the joint parliamentary and presidential polls tomorrow.He is being challenged by long-time opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his former finance minister Simba Makoni.Western observers have been banned from monitoring the vote, but the opposition has said Mugabe is blatantly flouting a series of pre-election agreements including a ban on security forces entering polling booths.Vote monitors from countries such as China, Iran and Kenya have been invited to observe Saturday’s proceedings.”You always tell lies, lies that there has been rigging,” Mugabe said, referring to the opposition.”They are the ones who brought the language of rigging.”The election is taking place against a backdrop of an economic meltdown, characterised by annual inflation running at more than 100 000 per cent and unemployment over 80 per cent..Nampa-AFPHe also denied he was rigging his way to a sixth term in office after accusations from his domestic opponents as well as Western countries, which accused him of stealing victory last time round in 2002.In comments reported by the state-run Herald newspaper, Mugabe told a campaign rally in the eastern district of Nyanga that an opposition lawmaker had threatened protests similar to those which followed December’s disputed elections in Kenya.”Just dare try it,” Mugabe said.”We don’t play around while you try to please your British allies.Just try it and you will see.”When you join a political fight by way of an election, you must be prepared to lose.If Zanu-PF (Mugabe’s ruling party) wins, you must accept it, if you win we will accept,” the 84-year-old president added.Mugabe, in power since independence in 1980, is facing the fiercest battle of his political career at the joint parliamentary and presidential polls tomorrow.He is being challenged by long-time opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his former finance minister Simba Makoni.Western observers have been banned from monitoring the vote, but the opposition has said Mugabe is blatantly flouting a series of pre-election agreements including a ban on security forces entering polling booths.Vote monitors from countries such as China, Iran and Kenya have been invited to observe Saturday’s proceedings.”You always tell lies, lies that there has been rigging,” Mugabe said, referring to the opposition.”They are the ones who brought the language of rigging.”The election is taking place against a backdrop of an economic meltdown, characterised by annual inflation running at more than 100 000 per cent and unemployment over 80 per cent..Nampa-AFP