MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 000676 SIPDIS AF/PD FOR COX AND ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT AND SCHLACHTER, AF/RA FOR SWANN, INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION MUGABE WINS POLL; HARARE ¶1. UNDER HEADLINE "THE TRAGIC REALITY OF A MUGABE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 00676 141236Z ELECTION VICTORY," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" DEDICATED ITS MARCH 14 EDITORIAL TO PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE MANY ZIMBABWEAN VOTERS WHO COURAGEOUSLY VOTED FOR CHANGE, UNDER HOSTILE CONDITIONS, DURING THE WEEKEND PRESIDENTIAL POLL. EXCERPTS: ¶2. "AS HE RIDES OFF INTO THE SUNSET, THE WINNER OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL ELECTION IN ZIMBABWE'S HISTORY, PRESIDENT MUGABE, MUST WONDER WHAT HIS VICTORY WILL DO TO THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE OF HIS BELEAGUERED COUNTRY. . . THE WEST, ACCUSED BY MUGABE OF CAMPAIGNING FOR HIS OUSTER FROM POWER, WILL NOT TOUCH ZIMBABWE WITH A BARGE POLE, NOT AFTER AN ELECTION SO RIDDLED WITH VIOLENCE AND CHICANERY ONLY COUNTRIES WITH HIDDEN AGENDAS WILL ENDORSE IT AS FREE AND FAIR. . . IN FACT, THERE WERE SO MANY IMPEDIMENTS PLACED IN THE PATH OF THE OPPOSITION IT IS A TRIBUTE TO THEIR COURAGE, PATRIOTISM AND DEDICATION THAT THEY GAVE ZANU PF SUCH A SCARE. MORGAN TSVANGIRAI AND HIS TEAM DID NOT FOR ONE MOMENT FALTER IN THEIR CHALLENGE TO THE POLITICAL BEHEMOTH THAT IS ZANU PF. THE PEOPLE WHO FAILED THEM MAY LIVE TO REGRET THEIR PREFERENCE FOR A PARTY OF VIOLENCE AND LIES." SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >