ZimbabweOnline Blog

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has decided to pull out of the presidential run-off on 27 June, party officials have told the BBC.

The decision, taken at a meeting of the leadership of the Movement for Democratic Change in Harare, means Robert Mugabe will remain as president.

The MDC says the decision comes after at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in the run-up to the poll.

President Robert Mugabe says the opposition is behind the violence.

On Sunday, the opposition was due to stage a rally in the capital - the highlight of the campaign.

But supporters of Mr Mugabe’s Zanu-PF occupied the stadium and roads leading up to it - and reportedly beat up opposition activists.

Unity government?

The MDC says Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential election outright during the first round in March.

The government says he won more votes than President Mugabe, but not enough to win outright.

Mr Mugabe has said he will never accept a Zimbabwe run by the MDC.

source/full story

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has accused the opposition of lying about political violence in the country to cast doubt on forthcoming polls.

The opposition says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed and many more beaten in the run-up to next week’s presidential run-off election.

He also told supporters that “only God” could remove him from office.

Meanwhile the opposition MDC says a court has overturned a police ban on a major rally on Sunday in Harare.

Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai, planned to attend the event.

Police have banned a series of opposition gatherings, leading the MDC to say it was being forced to campaign in virtual secrecy.

source/full story

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