Mugabe admits losing election

Robert Mugabe has for the first time publicly admitted that he
lost the disputed March 2008 election.

The octogenarian told delegates attending the 11th people’s conference in
Mutare on Friday that he lost to MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the
presidential election because Zanu PF party activists campaigned against
him.

Mugabe said he was saved by electoral laws which allow for a run-off if the
winner does not garner more than 50 percent of the ballot.

“We heard others saying vote for this one and not this one. I lost some
votes as a result of that,” he said.
He said the party activists who were behind such machinations did not
realise that if he had been dislodged from power, the entire party would
have been affected also.

To avoid a repeat of that in the next year’s election, Mugabe threatened
members of his inner circle and Zanu PF activists who dare deviate from
resolutions made in Mutare.

In apparent reference to reports that some of his lieutenants were against
holding elections next year, Mugabe said he did not want anybody to oppose
what would have been decided at the conference.