Zimbabwe’s opposition unites to end Mugabe’s four-decade rule

Zimbabwe ’ s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai re- united with his former allies on Saturday to forge a coalition aimed at ending President Robert Mugabe ’ s near four- decade hold on power in elections next year .

Mugabe, in power since independence from British colonial rule in 1980 , has been endorsed as his party ’ s candidate for next year ’ s vote despite his advanced age at 93 and signs of failing health.

At a rally in the capital, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Tsvangirai told supporters he was joining forces with two former deputies to face down Mugabe’ s ZANU -PF party.

“ For everything else to happen we have to unite as opposition parties , ” Tsvangirai said.

“ We have travelled this journey together and we will complete it together. We are rising above this needless and unhealthy competition .”

In 2008 , Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the first round of voting , but lost in a run-off marred by violence and intimidation including the killing of scores of opposition activists .

The opposition leader said he had agreed an alliance with former deputy Welshman Ncube and close aide Tendai Biti, as well as four other opposition factions .

“ This coalition is to stop fragmentation . Mugabe will have no excuse to rig ( the election ) if we are united , ” he said Saturday.

Among the signatories is the Zimbabwe People First party led by war veteran and former diplomat Agrippa Mutambara.

The agreement maximises Tsvangirai ’ s chances of unseating Mugabe next year as it avoids multiple opposition candidates competing for the same parliamentary seats.

Biti , who had broken from the MDC to form his own party , said: “ We have come together to give the people of Zimbabwe another chance to remove Robert Mugabe.

“ We owe it to the people of Zimbabwe to finish what we started to make sure we deliver genuine change .”

– ‘I am not dying’ –

Mugabe has refused to name a successor and was forced last month to brush aside growing concerns about his health after his wife Grace urged him to designate a heir.

His medical trips to Singapore have become frequent in recent years , fuelling speculation over who would take the helm were one of Africa’ s longest - ruling leaders to die in office.

“ There is the issue that the president is going . I am not going . That the president is dying . I am not dying , ” Mugabe told thousands of supporters at a rally in his home town of Chinhoyi in late July.

Under Mugabe Zimbabwe ’ s economy has cratered , leaving what was once the continent ’ s bread basket battling spiralling inflation and dependent on foreign aid.

“ We made mistakes along the way . We are here today to correct those mistakes , ” Ncube told Saturday ’ s rally.

“ We have defeated Mugabe before and we are going to defeat him again next year .”