Mugabe, Tsvangirai to run for Zimbabwe presidency

Zimbabwe's veteran President Robert Mugabe and his long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday both threw their hats into the ring to run in the upcoming presidential election. Their candidacies were approved by a court in Harare, although a final date has yet to be confirmed for the elections that will end an uneasy four-year power-sharing arrangement between Mugabe and Tzvangirai. "The people of Zimbabwe are ready for change. We have absolutely no doubt that Morgan Tsvangirai will be the next president of Zimbabwe," said Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who is also Tsvangirai's electoral agent. Tsvangirai has posed the stiffest challenge to Mugabe's 33-year rule of the southern African nation, but failed to win in the last elections in 2008 which were mired in violence. But Mugabe's own election agent, Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, voiced confidence that his candidate would win. "We as ZANU-PF are very confident of victory in the harmonised elections with President Mugabe because of the progressive policies that we have put across," Mnangagwa told journalists. Asked about Mugabe's health after the 89-year-old flew to Singapore for a medical check, Mnangagwa said: "He is fitter than you, he is a careful man. He has gone for a normal medical check-up for his eye." Mugabe has proclaimed July 31 as the date for Zimbabwe's general election but it is not clear if they will be held on that date. Following pressure from regional leaders for key reforms to be implemented, Mugabe called for the constitutional court to agree a two-week delay. Tsvangirai also filed an appeal arguing that a two-week delay was not enough to implement reforms and the court has set a hearing on the issue for Thursday next week.