afrol News, 2 July - Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai has rejected forming a national unity government with President Robert Mugabe if he is not recognised as the presidential election's winner.

Mr Tsvangirai, who withdrew from 27 June run-off presidential elections contests due to violence against his supporters, said his MDC party is committed to negotiations based on the 29 March elections, where the MDC emerged a winner though without outright majority to make him President.

"Our commitment to a negotiated settlement is not about power-sharing or power deals but about democracy, freedom and justice," said an MDC statement forwarded to afrol News.

Speaking a day after African Union leaders called for the formation of a national unity government, Mr Tsvangirai said the AU had failed to acknowledge that he won the first round of Zimbabwe's election.

"The resolution does not recognise the illegitimacy of the 27 June election and the fact that most African leaders refused to recognise Mr Mugabe as head of state," the MDC leader said.

The MDC added that conditions prevailing in Zimbabwe would not allow room for free negotiations with the ruling Zanu-PF party. "If dialogue is to be initiated, it is essential that Zanu-PF stops the violence, halts the persecution of MDC leaders and supporters, releases all political prisoners, disbands the militia bases and torture camps and that the security services halt their partisan operations," said the MDC statement.

The opposition party has also expressed its reservations about any mediation process under South African President Thabo Mbeki, accusing him of being too lenient on Mr Mugabe despite violence and intimidation mounted against opposition supporters since the March polls.

"The crisis in Zimbabwe requires urgent action. The violence, intimidation, hunger and suffering must be addressed as soon as possible," said the statement.

International pressure has mounted on Mr Mugabe with the European Union saying Mr Tsvangirai must be the head of any new government, despite Mr Mbeki again warning against imposing a solution from outside Africa.

Yesterday at the AU summit, Botswana called for Zimbabwe's suspension from both the AU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), saying his attendance at the meeting stamped legitimacy to his widely condemned victory on 27 June elections. Also the Kenyan Prime Minister defended this view, which however did not find a majority at the summit. The AU thus only recommended the establishment of a unity government.

Mr Mugabe's Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said the Zimbabwean government welcomed the AU's call and said that it was ready for dialogue with whomever, including a dialogue over national unity in Zimbabwe.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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