News / National
Zanu-PF State Security Minister conceded that Mugabe lost the 2008 elections
24 Oct 2011 at 01:05hrs | Views
Daily News on Sunday (October 23) quotes MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai's memoirs At the Deep End saying former State Security Minister Nicholas Goche reportedly conceded that President Mugabe lost the 2008 presidential elections to PM Morgan Tsvangirai.
The Transport Minister's alleged statement is the first high-profile admission that Zanu PF bigwigs were reaching out to the then opposition leader after years of speculation and political insinuations.
The disclosures in Tsvangirai's book appear to suggest that in the first few weeks after the elections, Mugabe had already conceded defeat and was working on power transfer when hardliners in Zanu PF realised that there was a clause which called for a run-off in the case of a winner failing to get 50% plus one vote.
According to the book, Goche reportedly called a senior member of the MDC to negotiate transitional mechanism since Tsvangirai had won the elections.
The book, which is being serialised by South African newspapers, suggests that the 87-year-old Mugabe – in power since the country attained independence in 1980 – had agreed to vacate Munhumutapa and State House after losing to Tsvangirai.
According to the book, Zanu PF members sought to forge strategic alliances with Tsvangirai and to persuade him to accommodate those in the former ruling party who had won Parliamentary seats.
The Transport Minister's alleged statement is the first high-profile admission that Zanu PF bigwigs were reaching out to the then opposition leader after years of speculation and political insinuations.
The disclosures in Tsvangirai's book appear to suggest that in the first few weeks after the elections, Mugabe had already conceded defeat and was working on power transfer when hardliners in Zanu PF realised that there was a clause which called for a run-off in the case of a winner failing to get 50% plus one vote.
The book, which is being serialised by South African newspapers, suggests that the 87-year-old Mugabe – in power since the country attained independence in 1980 – had agreed to vacate Munhumutapa and State House after losing to Tsvangirai.
According to the book, Zanu PF members sought to forge strategic alliances with Tsvangirai and to persuade him to accommodate those in the former ruling party who had won Parliamentary seats.
Source - Daily News
