Zimbabwe opposition says Mugabe is preparing for war
Saturday, 05 Apr 2008 20:44
Opposition says Robert Mugabe is "preparing for war"
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Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said President Robert Mugabe is "preparing a war on the people" ahead of a presidential run-off vote.
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Mr Tsvangirai said at a press conference: "Zanu-PF is preparing a war against the people. In the run-off, violence will be the weapon.
"It is therefore unfair and unreasonable for President Mugabe to call a runoff."
Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga dismissed the comments.
"It's a lot of nonsense. Zimbabwe held a very peaceful election. There was no violence. Nobody was killed," he told Sky Television.
The MDC claims it won last weekend's presidential vote. The party has already won a parliamentary vote but results for the crucial presidential elections have yet to be released.
A legal challenge from the MDC earlier in the day was initially physically blocked by armed police outside the court. Lawyers hoped to force the electoral commission to publish the results.
Zimbabwe's electoral commission has said it will release the results "when it is ready".