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Zimbabwe's Makoni calls for unity | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Simba Makoni, who came third in Zimbabwe's presidential election on 29 March, says he wants the run-off vote in June to be abandoned. | |
Mr Makoni, once President Robert Mugabe's finance minister, said there should be a unity government instead. | |
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai beat Mr Mugabe in the first round, but not by enough to avoid a run-off. | |
Mr Makoni said the widespread political violence will not stop unless the second round is cancelled. | |
Earlier this week, Mr Tsvangirai said more than 50 members of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party had been killed in the political violence since 29 March. | Earlier this week, Mr Tsvangirai said more than 50 members of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party had been killed in the political violence since 29 March. |
Large numbers of people had also been displaced, he said. | Large numbers of people had also been displaced, he said. |
President Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party denies supporting violence and says the West is trying to demonise Zimbabwe. | President Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party denies supporting violence and says the West is trying to demonise Zimbabwe. |
'Paralysed' | |
Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe in the capital, Harare, said that with the presidential run-off just five weeks away, many thought Mr Makoni would take the opportunity on Thursday to endorse a presidential candidate. | |
But Mr Makoni told a press conference in Harare that the country "cannot afford another election". | |
"Effective government functions have been paralysed since the launch of the election campaigns in January 2008," he said. | |
"The people have been under immense political pressure since the beginning of the year, which... is now intensified by the violence of the last month." | |
But he said he had been in touch with both political parties, who said a unity government could be debated only after the announcement of the presidential run-off results. | |
Mr Makoni, who stood as an independent in March and took 8.3% of the vote, said he felt the way forward was for everyone to work together for national reconciliation, a platform on which he originally campaigned. |
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