WASHINGTON DC —
President Robert Mugabe launched his star rallies at Nzvimbo Growth Point in Madziva, Mashonaland Central Province, on Thursday taking a dig at main rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai for allegedly failing to attract huge crowds at his campaign stops in the Zanu PF stronghold Monday.
Mr. Mugabe urged his party supporters to go out and vote in huge numbers to avoid another coalition government. He vowed to never again be forced into such an arrangement, describing the unity government as a three-headed snake.
He took a swipe at Finance Minister Tendai Biti for alleging that the government was broke and had no money for this year’s election.
Mr. Mugabe said it is a lie that the government is cash strapped. He called for peace and bemoaned political violence that has been reportedly resurfacing in some areas, in particular Mashonaland Central Province where Movement for Democratic Change activists claim they are being targeted by Zanu PF supporters.
Mr. Mugabe was accompanied by his deputy, Joyce Mujuru and wife, Grace Mugabe, who distributed food stuffs such as mealie-meal, cooking oil, beans and salt to villagers.
Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said victory was certain for his Zanu PF party. He dismissed Mr. Tsvangirai’s dig at President Mugabe’s advanced age at his rallies Monday.
Mr. Tsvangirai, meanwhile, took his campaign trail to Mhondoro, Mashonaland West Province, where he told supporters that those who lost in his party’s primary elections should support party candidates whose names were accepted by the nomination court to avoid splitting the vote in favor of Zanu PF.
Addressing his supporters at Neuso Business Center in Chegutu East constituency, Mr. Tsvangirai urged his party faithful to work together despite divisions caused by primaries elections held recently.
Following the primaries, some MDC-T activists who lost in the primaries submitted their names to the nomination court to stand as independent candidates arguing internal party processes were not democratic.
But Mr. Tsvangirai said it is now time to bury the hatchet and concentrate on the broader objective which he said was removing President Mugabe and his Zanu PF party from office.
The party’s parliamentary candidate for Chegutu East, Tawanda Bvumo, pledged to work for the development of the constituency.
He accused his rival, former legislator Webster Shamu, who is also the media and information minister, of failing to implement meaningful developmental programs in the area.
Mr. Tsvangirai said his administration will work to ensure that modern houses were built in rural communities.
The MDC founding leader takes his campaign Friday to Chinhoyi Stadium before moving eastwards to Manicaland province at the weekend.
Mr. Mugabe urged his party supporters to go out and vote in huge numbers to avoid another coalition government. He vowed to never again be forced into such an arrangement, describing the unity government as a three-headed snake.
He took a swipe at Finance Minister Tendai Biti for alleging that the government was broke and had no money for this year’s election.
Mr. Mugabe said it is a lie that the government is cash strapped. He called for peace and bemoaned political violence that has been reportedly resurfacing in some areas, in particular Mashonaland Central Province where Movement for Democratic Change activists claim they are being targeted by Zanu PF supporters.
Mr. Mugabe was accompanied by his deputy, Joyce Mujuru and wife, Grace Mugabe, who distributed food stuffs such as mealie-meal, cooking oil, beans and salt to villagers.
Zanu PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo said victory was certain for his Zanu PF party. He dismissed Mr. Tsvangirai’s dig at President Mugabe’s advanced age at his rallies Monday.
Mr. Tsvangirai, meanwhile, took his campaign trail to Mhondoro, Mashonaland West Province, where he told supporters that those who lost in his party’s primary elections should support party candidates whose names were accepted by the nomination court to avoid splitting the vote in favor of Zanu PF.
Addressing his supporters at Neuso Business Center in Chegutu East constituency, Mr. Tsvangirai urged his party faithful to work together despite divisions caused by primaries elections held recently.
Following the primaries, some MDC-T activists who lost in the primaries submitted their names to the nomination court to stand as independent candidates arguing internal party processes were not democratic.
But Mr. Tsvangirai said it is now time to bury the hatchet and concentrate on the broader objective which he said was removing President Mugabe and his Zanu PF party from office.
The party’s parliamentary candidate for Chegutu East, Tawanda Bvumo, pledged to work for the development of the constituency.
He accused his rival, former legislator Webster Shamu, who is also the media and information minister, of failing to implement meaningful developmental programs in the area.
Mr. Tsvangirai said his administration will work to ensure that modern houses were built in rural communities.
The MDC founding leader takes his campaign Friday to Chinhoyi Stadium before moving eastwards to Manicaland province at the weekend.