WASHINGTON —
The MDC formation of outgoing Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai says it will boycott activities in the country to celebrate and remember the country's fallen heroes in protest of President Robert Mugabe's electoral victory the party says does not reflect the will of the Zimbabwean people.
MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora says his party does not recognise Mr. Mugabe as president of the country and as a result will not join him in marking the day Monday in the capital.
Mr. Mugabe is expected to lead activities in the capital to mark Heroes Day at the national shrine as he has done over the past three decades.
"The MDC will commemorate and remember our fallen heroes but we will not go to the Heroes Acre or any other function to be addressed by Mugabe because we do not recognise him as our leader, that is why we have gone to the courts to challenge his so-called victory," said Mwonzora.
The MDC-T challenged President Mugabe's July 31 poll victory in court citing several irregularities, including duplicated names on the voters' roll and the failure of thousands of people to cast their ballots when they were turned away by electoral officials.
The smaller MDC formation of Welshman Ncube also says it will not participate in national activities to mark Heroes and Defence Forces Day, Monday and Tuesday respectively.
Zimbabweans mark these two holidays every year on August 11 and 12.
MDC-T spokesman Douglas Mwonzora says his party does not recognise Mr. Mugabe as president of the country and as a result will not join him in marking the day Monday in the capital.
Mr. Mugabe is expected to lead activities in the capital to mark Heroes Day at the national shrine as he has done over the past three decades.
"The MDC will commemorate and remember our fallen heroes but we will not go to the Heroes Acre or any other function to be addressed by Mugabe because we do not recognise him as our leader, that is why we have gone to the courts to challenge his so-called victory," said Mwonzora.
The MDC-T challenged President Mugabe's July 31 poll victory in court citing several irregularities, including duplicated names on the voters' roll and the failure of thousands of people to cast their ballots when they were turned away by electoral officials.
The smaller MDC formation of Welshman Ncube also says it will not participate in national activities to mark Heroes and Defence Forces Day, Monday and Tuesday respectively.
Zimbabweans mark these two holidays every year on August 11 and 12.
