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SLUG: 2-268478 Zimbabwe politics (L only)
DATE:
NOTE NUMBER:

DATE=10/26/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ZIMBABWE POLITICS (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-268478

BYLINE=MARTIN RUSHMERE

DATELINE=HARARE

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Zimbabwe's parliament has agreed to set up a special committee to consider the possible impeachment of President Robert Mugabe. Martin Rushmere in Harare reports the speaker of parliament says the proposal by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (M-D-C) is in accord with the constitution.

TEXT: In a brief statement, the speaker of Zimbabwe's parliament, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said the Movement for Democratic Change has secured 54 votes for the impeachment process to begin. That is four more votes than the minimum required.

No date has been set for the start of the special committee' work.

The impeachment proposal cites a long list of charges against President Mugabe and says he is responsible for the deaths of more than 35 people in violence before national elections held in June, which the ruling party narrowly won by four seats.

President Mugabe is also accused of being responsible for the illegal invasions of one-thousand-700 commercial farms. Hundreds of farm workers and farm owners have been injured in violence associated with the invasions.

Mr. Mugabe has said in reaction that he will arrest former Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith and others for what he calls "genocide" while the country was under white rule. President Mugabe says two white opposition members of parliament, David Coltart and Michael Auret, will be among those arrested.

Mr. Coltart is a legal affairs specialist for the M-D-C. He says that if he and others are to be charged with genocide, then President Mugabe will have to ask parliament to abolish a clause in Zimbabwe's constitution that provides a blanket amnesty for all parties and fighting forces involved in the guerilla war in Rhodesia.

A political opinion survey this week said that Mr. Mugabe has lost a considerable amount of support throughout the country. The poll says that seven out of every 10 voters - 70 percent - want Mr. Mugabe to leave office, while only 13 percent of voters support his ZANU (P-F) party. (Signed)

NEB/MR/GE/JWH



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