HARARE, Zimbabwe, May 20 (UPI) -- The ruling Zanu-PF party in Zimbabwe has denied it plans to kill Morgan Tsvangirai, head of the Movement for Democratic Change, and his allies.
Nathan Shamuyarira, a Zanu-PF spokesman, told the government-run Herald newspaper that the MDC was making the claim as a fund-raising ploy, Voice of America reported Tuesday. MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti charged Monday from Kenya that the Zimbabean military planned to use snipers to kill 30 leaders of the opposition group.
Tsvangirai outpolled Zimbabwe's longtime president, Robert Mugabe, in a national election at the end of March. The MDC also won a slim parliamentary majority.
But when official results were finally released, the election commission said that Tsvangirai did not get the 50 percent majority needed to avoid a June 27 runoff against Mugabe.
George Sibotshiwe, an MDC spokesman, said that at least 43 MDC supporters have been killed.