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MDC makes 'coup' claims
09/04/2008 22:37 - (SA)
Harare - Robert Mugabe has deployed troops across Zimbabwe to intimidate people ahead of a presidential run-off in a "de facto military coup", his rival Morgan Tsvangirai said in an interview on Wednesday.
"The military leaders in the establishment are trying to subvert the will of the people," opposition leader Tsvangirai told Time from an undisclosed location in Zimbabwe in comments published on the magazine's website.
"This is, in a sense, a de facto military coup. They have rolled out military forces across the whole country, to prepare for a run-off and try to cow the population. It's an attempt to try to create conditions for Mugabe to win," he said.
Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF has said a run-off, which by law should be held on April 19, is "definite", but Tsvangirai claims he secured enough votes in the March 29 poll to claim outright victory.
Eleven days after votes were cast there has still been no official result and Tsvangirai is touring southern Africa, urging leaders to prevent Zimbabwe from sliding into chaos.
"We are planning to use our political influence in the region to put pressure on Mugabe to concede defeat. He is trying to be defiant," the opposition leader told Time.
His bid to build up pressure on Mugabe after the disputed polls bore fruit on Wednesday as plans were unveiled for a weekend summit to discuss the crisis.
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, the current chair of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, announced that he would host regional leaders for a summit on the Zimbabwean crisis on Saturday.
- AFP
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