Mugabe dismisses Tsvangirai’s withdrawal

By Ofentse Mokae
24 October 2009

President Robert Mugabe is describing the split in Zimbabwe's governing coalition as a "non-event," and says his party will not bow to pressure.

Mugabe's comments to state television are his first since Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai temporarily withdrew from the coalition.

The former opposition leader has complained about a lack of co-operation by Mugabe and his party.

Mugabe suggested that Tsvangirai's party was being led by emotions and said the Movement for Democratic Change could not be allowed to have complete executive authority.


Meanwhile armed police raided a house belonging to Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party last night, claiming they were searching for weapons.

Movement for Democratic Change secretary general Tendai Biti told journalists around 50 armed police members beat up the wife and sister of the caretaker before they started digging up the garden ostensibly in search of weapons.

Media reports that Biti blames members of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party and security forces opposed to the country's power-sharing government for the raid.