'MDC threatening violence'
01/03/2008 12:13  - (SA)  

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Harare - Zimbabwe's justice minister has accused the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) of threatening violence ahead of the March national polls, the state-controlled Herald newspaper reported on Friday.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa says he is in talks with the police for additional measures to be taken "to thwart acts of political violence being planned against the electoral process," the Herald reports.

Chinamasa says he has launched a complaint with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) over comments allegedly made by MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa at a rally in Harare's Dzivaresekwa township in February.

The spokesperson has denied ever threatening violence and has asked the news agency that first carried the reports to retract its story.

Chamisa says he merely congratulated Zimbabweans for resisting the temptation to throw the country into anarchy.

But the justice minister said the government was taking the reports of threats "seriously".

More than five million voters will go to the polls on March 29 to choose a president, MPs, senators and local councillors from a dizzying array of candidates.

Already, tensions are rising. Mugabe, 84, is fighting for his political survival. The Zimbabwean leader has been in power since 1980.

For the first time, he faces two strong challengers: main MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai and the former finance minister Simba Makoni.

Chinamasa vowed Tsvangirai and his party would lose the polls.

He said: "Everybody in Zimbabwe is aware they will lose the elections because they are a puppet party and that they also called for economic sanctions and sold out on the land issue and time has come for them to pay the heavy price.

"We thank Chamisa for forewarning us of their intentions and what they are planning with their sponsors and taking every step to forearm ourselves against any eventuality they are planning against the people of Zimbabwe. The state will not take kindly to such threats."

Police warned this week they were empowered to use firearms against "unruly" protesters.

Sapa-dpa

 

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