News / Local
I will not agree to elections - Tsvangirai
24 Feb 2012 at 12:47hrs | Views
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai vowed on Friday to resist a push by President Robert Mugabe to hold new elections this year. and said elections will be held after reforms have been implemented.
"Only after the necessary reforms have been implemented will the president and I agree on the date of elections," Tsvangirai told a press conference.
"I will not agree to elections without the reforms."
Tsvangirai said Zanu-PF are cowards and afraid of facing him in an election. "Their best bet is to field a tired candidate (Mugabe) because they believe he is the only one who can stand against Morgan Tsvangirai," added Tsvangirai.
The statement came after Mugabe insisted elections would be held this year, with or without a new constitution agreed to in his power-sharing deal with Tsvangirai, and said he would invoke the current constitution to declare an election date if other parties refused.
Tsvangirai accused Zanu-PF cabinet ministers of stalling the constitution reforms but said he would not be pushed out of the power-sharing government.
"I want to assure everyone, yes we have had to bear with frustrations but thank goodness we are made of sterner stuff. No one is going to push us out," he said.
"Only after the necessary reforms have been implemented will the president and I agree on the date of elections," Tsvangirai told a press conference.
"I will not agree to elections without the reforms."
Tsvangirai said Zanu-PF are cowards and afraid of facing him in an election. "Their best bet is to field a tired candidate (Mugabe) because they believe he is the only one who can stand against Morgan Tsvangirai," added Tsvangirai.
The statement came after Mugabe insisted elections would be held this year, with or without a new constitution agreed to in his power-sharing deal with Tsvangirai, and said he would invoke the current constitution to declare an election date if other parties refused.
Tsvangirai accused Zanu-PF cabinet ministers of stalling the constitution reforms but said he would not be pushed out of the power-sharing government.
"I want to assure everyone, yes we have had to bear with frustrations but thank goodness we are made of sterner stuff. No one is going to push us out," he said.
Source - Sapa
