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Zim opposition re-elects Tsvangirai as leader

Zim opposition re-elects Tsvangirai as leader

HARARE – Zimbabwe’s main opposition re-elected veteran party leader Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday after he called for mass action to ratchet up pressure on President Robert Mugabe’s government.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in all 12 of Zimbabwe’s provinces, plus the party’s youth and womens’ wings, endorsed a new term for Tsvangirai at the end of a two-day congress. There were no challengers.Party members also voted for a new leadership team, which analysts said will determine both the party’s battle with Mugabe and its stand-off with rival MDC members who have formed their own opposition group after a recent split.Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for Tsvangirai’s MDC faction – seen by many as the main opposition – said earlier the party was expected to back the former trade union leader’s call on Saturday for a wave of protests against Mugabe.”We are …expecting the congress to approve the political programme proposed by the leadership,” he said.When he addressed 15 000 congress delegates on Saturday, Tsvangirai called on Zimbabweans to launch a “cold season of peaceful democratic resistance” against Mugabe’s rule, saying only sustained mass protests could overcome government brutality.There has been no immediate response from the government to Tsvangirai’s call for mass action, but Mugabe’s government has routinely deployed security forces to crush political protests.Another MDC executive member said Tsvangirai’s statement was welcomed by many delegates during a closed session late on Saturday, but details of when and how the protests would be organised were not debated.- Nampa-ReutersThere were no challengers.Party members also voted for a new leadership team, which analysts said will determine both the party’s battle with Mugabe and its stand-off with rival MDC members who have formed their own opposition group after a recent split.Nelson Chamisa, a spokesman for Tsvangirai’s MDC faction – seen by many as the main opposition – said earlier the party was expected to back the former trade union leader’s call on Saturday for a wave of protests against Mugabe.”We are …expecting the congress to approve the political programme proposed by the leadership,” he said.When he addressed 15 000 congress delegates on Saturday, Tsvangirai called on Zimbabweans to launch a “cold season of peaceful democratic resistance” against Mugabe’s rule, saying only sustained mass protests could overcome government brutality.There has been no immediate response from the government to Tsvangirai’s call for mass action, but Mugabe’s government has routinely deployed security forces to crush political protests.Another MDC executive member said Tsvangirai’s statement was welcomed by many delegates during a closed session late on Saturday, but details of when and how the protests would be organised were not debated.- Nampa-Reuters

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