Zimbabwe Opposition Alleges Sniper Plot to Kill Leader
Movement for Democratic Change says Morgan Tsvangirai will return to contest presidential run-off, despite alleged assassination plot
Zimbabwe's opposition party today gave more details of an alleged plot by the country's military to assassinate its presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) announced on Saturday that Tsvangirai had delayed his return home after a creditable tip-off about the murder plot.
Today, the MDC alleged that the military was planning to kill Tsvangirai using snipers. "We know there are 18 snipers, and the military intelligence directorate is in charge of this," the party's secretary general, Tendai Biti, told Reuters.
He said he could not divulge further detail as that would endanger the lives of those that leaked the information.
Biti claimed the campaign of violence prosecuted by President Robert Mugabe's regime could backfire since many of the millions of Zimbabweans who have fled the country plan to return to vote in next month run-off presidential election.
He condemned the "paralysis of leadership" among African leaders negotiating his country's electoral crisis.
Tsvangirai was due to return home over the weekend after announcing he would contest the delayed run-off presidential election now set for June 27.
The opposition leader decided he must take part in the run-off, because otherwise Mugabe would win unchallenged. Biti said Tsvangirai would return "very soon", despite the alleged plot.
The run-off was called after Zimbabwe's election commission declared that Tsvangirai won nearly 48% of the vote in the first round, compared to just over 43% for Mugabe.
The opposition, which believes it was cheated of thousands of votes through ballot-rigging, claims Tsvangirai won 50.3% of the ballot, giving him the necessary majority for an outright victory.
Since the poll at the end of March, Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party has unleashed a wave of attacks against Tsvangirai supporters that appear to be aimed at intimidating his opposition.
An MDC rally planned for today in Bulawayo has been banned. At least 32 people have been killed, hundreds have been beaten and tens of thousands have been intimidated into fleeing their homes.
Yesterday, the Observer gave details of how two of the regime's critics, Gibson Nyandoro and Emmanuel Nelson, died after being seized by the police.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) announced on Saturday that Tsvangirai had delayed his return home after a creditable tip-off about the murder plot.
Today, the MDC alleged that the military was planning to kill Tsvangirai using snipers. "We know there are 18 snipers, and the military intelligence directorate is in charge of this," the party's secretary general, Tendai Biti, told Reuters.
He said he could not divulge further detail as that would endanger the lives of those that leaked the information.
Biti claimed the campaign of violence prosecuted by President Robert Mugabe's regime could backfire since many of the millions of Zimbabweans who have fled the country plan to return to vote in next month run-off presidential election.
He condemned the "paralysis of leadership" among African leaders negotiating his country's electoral crisis.
Tsvangirai was due to return home over the weekend after announcing he would contest the delayed run-off presidential election now set for June 27.
The opposition leader decided he must take part in the run-off, because otherwise Mugabe would win unchallenged. Biti said Tsvangirai would return "very soon", despite the alleged plot.
The run-off was called after Zimbabwe's election commission declared that Tsvangirai won nearly 48% of the vote in the first round, compared to just over 43% for Mugabe.
The opposition, which believes it was cheated of thousands of votes through ballot-rigging, claims Tsvangirai won 50.3% of the ballot, giving him the necessary majority for an outright victory.
Since the poll at the end of March, Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party has unleashed a wave of attacks against Tsvangirai supporters that appear to be aimed at intimidating his opposition.
An MDC rally planned for today in Bulawayo has been banned. At least 32 people have been killed, hundreds have been beaten and tens of thousands have been intimidated into fleeing their homes.
Yesterday, the Observer gave details of how two of the regime's critics, Gibson Nyandoro and Emmanuel Nelson, died after being seized by the police.
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