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24 April 2008
By Never Kadungure (Political Editor)
Former army commander and Gutu senatorial candidate General Vitalis Zvinavashe has broken ranks with hardliners in the party urging them to accept defeat in the just ended elections. Zvinavashe was addressing fellow Zanu PF candidates at a counting centre in the province.
The blunt general said, ‘There is no need to fight over these results. We must accept the reality that we have lost these elections to the MDC. What is important is to live together in peace, both losers and winners. We do not want violence in this area. We are relatives.”
Zvinavashe is on record as warning the party before the March 29 poll that Mugabe would cost them victory if he remained at the helm. He repeated his remarks this week putting the blame for Zanu PF’s defeat on Mugabe’s doorstep.
‘Most of us lost these elections not because we are not popular in our constituencies. We lost these harmonised elections because of one man.'
' People rejected us because we were campaigning for Mugabe. People in Masvingo have rejected him and we became collateral damage. There is no reason to fight with the MDC over this election. The real problem is that man not us.’
Zvinavashe lost to an MDC candidate in the constituency and a recount ordered by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission under instructions from Zanu PF failed to overturn the result. Meanwhile Zanu PF retained its Goromonzi seat with the figures remaining the same from the initial count.
Other recounts are taking place in Mberengwa East, West, South, North, Masvingo Central and Masvingo West, Chimanimani West, Mutare West, Bikita West, Bikita South, Bulilima East, Zhombe, Zaka East, Zvimba North, Silobela, Chiredzi North, Gokwe-Kabuyuni, Buhera South and Lupane East.
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