A person wearing a mask of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe chants opposition MDC (Movement For Democratic Change) slogans
We will participate in the run-off but ... violence has to cease for an election to be conducted or that election will not be legitimate
Tsvangirai: Zimbabwe election is inevitable
Zimbabwe's main opposition in Belfast for conference
Friday, May 16, 2008
The leader of Zimbabwe's main opposition party has told a news conference in
Belfast that his election as president is inevitable.
Morgan Tsvangirai is due to contest a run-off vote against President Robert
Mugabe next month.
He claims he won more than 50% of the original vote in March, but has agreed
to contest the run-off, despite fears that Mr Mugabe's supporters will
attempt to rig the outcome.
Speaking during a visit to Belfast today, he said he knew his life was at
risk and thanked the Irish people for their support, but said any
intervention by Britain would be counter-productive as it would be
interpreted by President Mugabe as colonial interference.
"I'm going back today," Tsvangirai told reporters after addressing the 55th
Congress of the Liberal International in Belfast.
"We will participate in the run-off but ... violence has to cease for an
election to be conducted or that election will not be legitimate."