Diplomats warns Tsvangirai over violence

The British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Deborah Bronnert and other European Union diplomats have warned the MDC-T against violence while some ambassadors are reported to have urged its party leader Morgan Tsvangirai to consider stepping down and allow party leadership renewal.

The call comes at a time Tsvangirai embroiled in a bitter battle for his political survival after a number of his senior lieutenants called for his resignation following the party's defeat in the previous elections.

Bronnert confirmed that she had expressed condemnation of the violence to the MDC-T.

Meanwhile, Western embassies in Harare are reported to have dumped MDC-T and have been secretly meeting other opposition leaders with the view to forming a coalition of opposition parties to challenge Zanu-PF in 2018.

According to the State controlled Herald, British ambassador to Zimbabwe Ms Deborah Bronnert has been the busiest of the Western envoys meeting prominent opposition leaders and political activists in and outside Harare and selling the idea of forming an alternative political party to MDC-T.

The UK embassy yesterday refused to comment on the matter.

"It is not a matter for us to comment," said a UK embassy Press officer only identified as Gillian.