Tsvangirai says court challenge is a mere formality

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai told party supporters yesterday that the present court challenge in which his party is calling for the nullification of the 31 July elections results is a mere formality.

He is reported to have told mourners at the funeral of party activist, Rebecca Mafikeni, who died in remand prison, that: “It doesn’t matter going to court. It doesn’t matter the outcome. We all know what the courts will say but Mugabe and ZANU-PF know they stole this election.”

“We are mourning the loss of Rebecca and we are also in national mourning because someone says he has fairly won an election which represents the biggest fraud this country or the whole world has ever seen,” Tsvangirai said.

Tsvangirai’s rival, Robert Mugabe of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front polled 61 percent of the votes to win the presidential elections on 31 July while his party walked away with a two-thirds majority in parliament.

Tsvangirai rejected the results claiming massive fraud and is asking the courts to nullify the results. He is also calling for fresh elections in 60 days.

The case will be heard on Saturday.

The MDC leader also said Mugabe had approached him for talks but he had refused.

“After stealing the vote, they don’t even know where to start. They are now asking, ‘Where is Tsvangirai, so that we can talk?’ Talk about what?” Tsvangirai said.

ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo denied that his party had approached Tsvangirai for talks, adding: “There is nothing like that.”

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