HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 31 – President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday expressed confidence Zanu PF will sweep to power in Wednesday’s general elections, Zimbabwe’s news agency, New Ziana, reported.
In the presidential race, he is squaring off with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and two other aspirants.
Echoing various opinion polls that have tipped him to win comfortably, Mugabe said Zimbabweans had re-embraced his party’s nationalist policies, especially on the economy.
Addressing a press conference, a buoyant Mugabe said Zanu PF would win the poll with a majority.
“I believe we ran a successful campaign. I believe the campaign also showed us that the people still support the principles of Zanu PF and believe in Zanu PF,” he said.
“We hope the people will vote for Zanu PF and see once again Zanu PF as the government of our country.”
At 89, Mugabe proved critics wrong who always speculated about his health, often describing him as ailing.
But he energetically held ten back-to-back star rallies throughout the country, campaigning for Zanu-PF.
Mugabe applauded all parties taking part in the poll and Zimbabweans at large for having heeded repeated calls for a peaceful environment ahead of the elections.
“This is a national election which is an opportunity for our people to go out and cast their vote for the party of their own liking,” he said.
He expressed hope that the situation will remain peaceful after the polls.
Election observers from the African Union and the Southern African Development Community, among others, have also commended Zimbabweans for maintaining peace in the run-up to the election.
Mugabe said there had been a few hitches in preparations for the elections, such as delays in making available the voter’s roll to the contesting parties.
“There were a few hitches with the printing�.but that has been overcome now and all polling stations and all those who should have them now have them,” he said.
– BERNAMA
