Mugabe warned of Kenya-style revolt

[Mugu]

Chris McGreal in Harare, The Guardian

Zimbabwe's opposition says it will bring the government to its knees with Kenya-style mass protests if President Robert Mugabe carries out extensive plans to rig tomorrow's presidential and parliamentary elections. But Mugabe has vowed to use the army to crush any demonstrations and warned Zimbabweans not to waste their votes on opposition candidates who would never be allowed to take power.

Mugabe, 84, would struggle to extend his 28-year rule in a clean election, amid widespread hunger, mass unemployment, 100,000% inflation and a currency that devalues so fast that the few people with jobs are paid in billions of Zimbabwe dollars. Election monitoring groups say the ruling Zanu-PF party has printed millions of extra ballots, intimidated rural voters by threatening their food supply, permitted police into polling booths to "help" voters, and rigged the electoral roll.

Among those registered to vote is Desmond Lardner-Burke, who was born a century ago and as justice minister in the white Rhodesian government jailed Mugabe as a terrorist. Lardner-Burke died years ago in South Africa.

Ian Makoni, the election director for Morgan Tsvangirai, the presidential candidate for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, who narrowly lost the 2002 ballot amid widespread fraud, said the MDC would not repeat its mistake of six years ago. "The lesson from 2002 is we didn't plan for after the vote. Everyone stayed at home and said we will go to the courts. What happened in Kenya was they knew there would be fraud and they were ready," he said. "We will be out on the streets celebrating when the polls close. It can turn into a protest easily. Zimbabweans are angry, they are desperate, they are ready to protest. It's the tipping point we are planning for."


Complete article at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/28/zimbabwe1

[Jester Messiah]

1. It's a crime and a shame...

Zimbabwe used to be the jewel of southern Africa, and was called "the bread basket" for its agricultural prowess. Now look at it... inflation is over 150,000% and people are starving. Great job, Bob.

[Squatch]

2. They need to kick Mugabe out on his ear