Tsvangirai threatens election boycott

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader threatened to boycott elections next year as church leaders launched an outspoken appeal for democracy in the mounting challenge to President Robert Mugabe.

As Mugabe prepared to leave for a hastily convened southern African summit to discuss the growing economic, political and social crisis, battered opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he would boycott presidential elections scheduled for next year unless the balloting is carried out under a new democratic constitution that ensures the voting is free and fair.