From SABC News, 27 August
Removing Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe would not automatically deliver democracy to the troubled African nation, said opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Tsvangirai, whose campaigning against Mugabe has seen him brutally attacked, said a political culture of abuse and corruption needed to end before democracy could return. "Let's not get too preoccupied with Mugabe," Tsvangirai told Australian television today. "Let's be preoccupied with the political culture that has been instituted, which disrespects people, that violates people's rights, that undermines the economic well being of people. "So removing Robert Mugabe may suit our own egos but certainly it does not remove the political culture. Removing Robert Mugabe may not necessarily mean we have created democracy," he said. Tsvangirai said the killings and violence under Mugabe's regime was enough to take the Zimbabwe leader to court on criminal charges, but such action would only cause instability. "Given the choice between giving Mugabe amnesty and allowing him to leave so that we can get on with our lives and restore the stability of the country, I think people would chose that," said Tsvangirai. Mugabe had rigged elections over the past six years to maintain power and his grip on the country had led to political, economic and health crises, said the opposition leader. Aids kills almost 4 000 Zimbabweans a week, inflation is running at 14 000%, electricity is a luxury and about one million school-age children are not going to school, he said.
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