afrol News, 20 June - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has said he "won't retire from office" unless he is "satisfied that the land is truly and safely in the hands of the black majority."

Mr. Mugabe, who has been ruling the Southern African nation since 1980, told thousands of his ruling Zanu-PF supporters in Matabeleland that his intention is to rerturn land stolen by the British settlers to its black owners before he relinquishes power.

Mugabe, 84, is mounting a vigorous campaign ahead of next Friday's poll runoff against his staunch opponent Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mr. Tsvangirai defeated Mr Mugabe in the first round, but fell short of the required percentage to lead the country.

Zimbabwe's poll runoff campaign has been marred by increasing wave of violence directed at the opposition. MDC said 70 of its supporters have so far been killed in violence, and its Secretary General, Tendai Biti, is also charged with treason. And if found guilty, Mr Biti could face the death penalty. Mr Tsvangirai himself was arrested five times in recent weeks.

The international community said the post electoral violence would compromise the holding of a free and fair elections. And the two contestants' failure to agree on a unity government has also made matters worse. Mugabe and Tsvangirai are like the two sides of a coin who have different policies and perceptions.

Mugabe referred Tsvangirai as a "sellout" bent on morgaging Zimbabwe to Britain, and will not therefore allow him to take over the country. He accused his opponent of being a British-sponsored candidate, which was why former white commercial farmers immediately claimed their retrieved lands when report was being bandied around that their candidate garnered enough votes to be declared President.

He said he was disappointed to see people voting for MDC because that was tantamount to betraying the country's liberators and founding fathers, including Umdala Wethu and Joshua Nkomo.

Mugabe said there should not be any excuse for the recolonisation of Zimbabwe, afterall, a lot of innocent blood was shed before the country was free from colonial yokes. He said there must not be any compromise on the country's land, which is its legacy.

Zimbabwean leader urged all patriotic voters to reject the opposition's attempts to recolonise Zimbabwe once and for all on 27 June, echoing the words of former freedom fighters that the defence of the country's independence, sovereignty and land from foreign threats was not an issue that could be left to an election process.

He said war veterans assured him that "we can never accept that our country which we won through the barrel of the gun, be taken merely by an 'x'made by a ballpoint pen."

Meanwhile, it is reported that Mr Tsvangirai is considering pulling out of the presidential runoff, with his party's spokesperson Nelson Chamisa confirming that "there is a huge avalanche of calls and pressure from supporters across the country" calling on the MDC leader to shun the bloody polls.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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