Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on Monday called for peace when the country holds its elections later in the year.
Speaking at the burial of Vice-President John
Nkomo he told the thousands of mourners at a national shrine for former
fighters in Zimbabwe’s liberation of the importance of holding peaceful
elections.
“Peace begins with me Robert Mugabe, peace begins
with all of us,” he said. “Let’s carry this exaltation of peace to all
our political parties and hold elections that are peaceful.”
A general election is expected in the second half
of this year amid regional efforts to prevent another violent poll in
Zimbabwe.
Mr Nkomo succumbed to cancer last Thursday at the age of 78.
He was chairman of a peace and reconciliation
forum formed after Zimbabwe’s 2008 elections that were marred by
political violence.
Among the mourners were the vice-presidents of Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa.
He was appointed the country's second vice-president by President Mugabe in 2009.
He became the fourth vice president to die in office since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.
He was seen as loyal to the veteran ruler and was
never associated with factions that are reportedly jostling for the
88-year-old leader’s position.
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