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Free elections in Zimbabwe "impossible," Rice says
Jun 23, 2008, 16:18 GMT
Washington - The political violence in Zimbabwe has made it 'impossible' to hold free and fair elections, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday.
'Another vicious assault on the opposition and its supporters for exercising their right to assemble and their right to free speech has reinforced that it is impossible for there to be a free, fair or peaceful election in Zimbabwe,' Rice said.
Rice's statement came a day after opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai announced the government's violent crackdown against his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party has forced him to drop out of the June 27 presidential runoff election.
President Robert Mugabe has been accused of using violence to intimidate the opposition to ensure he wins the election after forcing a run-off in March 29 balloting that handing more votes to Tsvangirai.
'The United States condemns in the strongest terms the government of Zimbabwe's continuing campaign of violence against its own people,' Rice said.
'It is abundantly clear that Mugabe is determined to thwart the will of the people of Zimbabwe as so clearly expressed on March 29,' she added.
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