Tsvangirai warns ZANU-PF people will not be cowed ahead of next year’s elections

Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai today warned the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front that Zimbabweans will not be intimidated and will fight for a truly free and fair election in which their voice will count.

Commenting on the arrest of social media activist Pastor Evan Mawarire, Tsvangirai said the arrest was “vintage ZANU-PF”.

The message coming out of the arrest, he said, was that ZANU-PF will go for broke in the campaign ahead of next year’s elections.

“The world must brace for impunity and violence against the innocent citizens of our country,” he said.

Mawarire, who rose to fame last year by calling on Zimbabweans to press the government to be accountable, was arrested at Harare International Airport yesterday on arrival from the United where he had been staying since July last year after a brush with state authorities in Zimbabwe.

“I condemn in the strongest of terms the impunity against an innocent citizen of Zimbabwe who has committed no crime. If the regime thinks this arrest will cow the people of this country, then we have news for them,” Tsvangirai said in a statement which he personally signed.

“Zimbabweans will not be intimidated and they will fight for a truly free and fair election in which their voice will count.

“What happened at the Harare International Airport yesterday must send a chilling message, particularly to those in the region and in the broader international community who thought ZANU-PF was capable of reform. There cannot be reform without reformers and this impunity is a reflection of the true character of ZANU-PF,” he said.

Full statement:

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