Legitimacy of Zimbabwean President Not Negotiable: Official

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, June 18, 2003

Legitimacy of Zimbabwean President Not Negotiable: Official

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Deputy secretary for information and publicity of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) Jonathan Moyo has said the legitimacy of President Robert Mugabe as head of state is not negotiable.

Moyo said media reports that the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) was seeking unconditional dialogue with ZANU-PF to address what it says are issues of legitimacy were a waste of time because no one would listen to them.

The ZANU-PF was reacting to a story in Tuesday's Daily News, which quoted MDC secretary-general Welsh-man Ncube as saying his party was ready to resume dialogue with the ruling party to "resolve the issue of legitimacy."

"What is particularly preposterous about the reports is that Ncube, who is facing treason charges before the High Court of Zimbabwe, is said to have had the temerity to assert that the issue of legitimacy is subject to negotiation," said Moyo.

The MDC says it does not recognize Mugabe's victory in last year's presidential election and is challenging the results in theHigh Court, seeking a re-run of the poll.

Mugabe has said the ZANU-PF is prepared to resume dialogue withthe MDC but the opposition party should recognize him as the legitimate head of state following his victory in the presidentialelection declared as a free expression of the will of Zimbabweans by several observers.

"This is because everyone with any modicum of sense knows that legitimacy is first a product of the will of the people as a matter of democratic practice done in accordance with the laws and constitution of the land," said Moyo.

"When there is doubt or question about this democratic and constitutional position, the forum for that is the High Court of Zimbabwe and not the streets or any negotiation," Moyo added.

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