Zimbabwe opposition leader says no to unity government deal
Zimbabwe opposition leader and former presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai rejected the idea of a unity government with President Robert Mugabe, reports CNN. After horrible widespread violence gripped the nation ahead of last week’s runoff elections (which resulted in Tsvangirai dropping out of the race, he says, for his supporters’ safety) Mugabe seemed open to speaking with the opposition. And, at their summit earlier this week, the African Union suggested the nation try to form a unity government. But Tsvangirai believes he should have been recognized the official winner of the first round of elections in March and will only proceed if that result is recognized. “The resolution endorsed the concept of a government of national unity, without acknowledging that the MDC, as winner of the last credible election on 29 March, should be recognized as the legitimate government of Zimbabwe,” he told reporters. “A government of national unity does not address the problems facing Zimbabwe or acknowledge the will of the Zimbabwean people,” he added. Those results, according to the Election Commission, showed that while he got a greater percentage of votes over Mugabe, he did not get more than 50 percent of votes, which is necessary to win outright (a claim he and his party has always denied). Tsvangirai’s party, Movement of Democratic Change, claims that in the weeks before last week’s runoff, dozen of members were arrested and more than 80 were killed by Mugabe loyalists.

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