'Britain rigged 1980 polls for Mugabe'

THE British government sold out and rigged the 1980 polls on behalf of President Robert Mugabe just to save the lives of innocent Zimbabweans who were being butchered by ZANLA forces, says UANC.

NewZimbabwe.com reported that Nesbert Mtengezanwa, UANC leader, said the late Bishop Abel Muzorewa's party won the polls by more than 62 seats only for the British to rig the polls on behalf of Mugabe.

According to the UANC leader, this is evidenced by the fact that election results were only announced after two weeks as negotiations were going on between Muzorewa, Mugabe and Lord Soames, the British governor who oversaw the transition to independence.   

Mtengezanwa said Soames then agreed with Mugabe that he was going to be the leader of the country for only 10 years and then hand over power to Muzorewa only for a cunning Mugabe to remove the late Canaan Banana after eight years to become an Executive President.

"Remember in 1980 nobody voted for Mugabe, nobody voted for Muzorewa or any President, we were voting for a particular party (UANC) only," said Mtengezanwa while addressing a handful of senior citizens and journalists in Harare Thursday.

"Zanu-PF lost and Mugabe went back to Mozambique to prepare to launch more bloodshed," he said.

He added, "And Lord Soames had to follow him to Mozambique and that's where the agreement was done that Mugabe would be the Prime Minister for only 10 years."

"Somaes said after 10 years give back power to Muzorewa, but after eight years Mugabe chased Banana off the leadership position and that's when he created executive powers."

Writing in autobiography, The story of my Life, the late Nkomo questioned why the 1980 ballot papers were flown to Britain where they were burnt aster election. Former home affairs minister, Dumiso Dabengwa, has also previously said the 1980 polls were rigged.