Mugabe condemns opposition 'lies'

President Mugabe blames the opposition for violence
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has accused the opposition of lying about political violence in the country to cast doubt on forthcoming polls.

The opposition says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed and many more beaten in the run-up to next week's presidential run-off election.

He also told supporters that "only God" could remove him from office.

Meanwhile the opposition MDC says a court has overturned a police ban on a major rally on Sunday in Harare.

Opposition spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai, planned to attend the event.

Police have banned a series of opposition gatherings, leading the MDC to say it was being forced to campaign in virtual secrecy.

All necessary force will be applied on malcontents and perpetrators of violence

Mr Mugabe told supporters at a campaign rally in the southern city of Bulawayo on Friday that he would "never allow an event like an election to reverse our independence, our sovereignty."

"Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British," he said.


Perhaps the Appointed One will have something to offer here.