ZIMBABWEAN opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has called on African leaders to acknowledge he won last month's disputed election and has promised an 'honourable exit' for President Robert Mugabe.Speaking on the sidelines of a UN trade and development conference in Accra, Ghana, Mr Tsvangirai insisted he had won the March 29 presidential poll in the southern African state.
His Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has accused Mr Mugabe, who has ruled since independence in 1980, of attempting to cling to power by delaying declaring the results. "Our reputation as a continent may suffer serious disrepute if we ... allow Robert Mugabe to undermine the results of the democratic election by refusing to transfer power knowing he has lost the popular support of the people,'' Mr Tsvangirai told a news conference. "We are calling ... on every head of state in Africa to stand in defence of the people of Zimbabwe,'' he said.
But he also had conciliatory words for the veteran Zimbabwean president. "Robert Mugabe is a liberation hero on our continent and he must be convinced to make a graceful exit. In fact, we have no intention of violating his rights. We believe the time has come for him to have an honourable exit,'' Mr Tsvangirai said.