Zimbabwe President Dismisses Opposition Claims Of Violence By Ruling Party

Just days after Zimbabwe Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi promised to look into allegations of violence against opposition activists and supporter by members of the ruling party, President Robert Mugabe Friday, dismissed the opposition claims as “unsubstantiated.”

The state-controlled Herald newspaper, reported Saturday that President Mugabe, who spoke at the opening of the party’s central committee meeting, accused faction leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change, of frustrating the efforts of South African President Thabo Mbeki, to resolve the crisis in the country.

Mr. Mugabe said Tsvangirai’s attitude was “amateurish” and “unacceptable” in light of the positive strides.

Tsvangirai's spokesperson William Bango said Mr. Mugabe’s statements were surprising considering the evidence of assault on Tsvangirai himself, by police following the March prayer meeting by the Save Zimbabwe Campaign, that set the grounds for the Pretoria mediation.

Lawyer and political commentator Brian Kagoro told reporter Ndimyake Mwakalyelye of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that Mr. Mugabe’s statements were intended to frustrate the opposition leader.

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