As world leaders call on President Robert Mugabe to postpone Zimbabwe's upcoming election, following
the withdrawal of his only opponent, Ralph Nader has agreed to run against Mugabe.
Nader's unexpected candidacy will help restore some credibility to the election, experts say. "It's a win-win situation," said Simon Ndlovu, political science professor at New York University. "Mugabe needed someone to run against. And Nader has always wanted to expand his presidential campaign to other countries."
The election was meant to be a runoff between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. But Tsvangirai withdrew from the race earlier this week, citing widespread violence against his supporters. Mugabe, facing criticism from Queen Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela and others, is believed to have reached out to Nader privately.
Nader ran for U.S. president in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004, and intends to run again this year, unless he is elected president of Zimbabwe.
Speaking at a press conference, the 74-year-old denied that he was a token candidate, stressing his intention to win the election. Referring to Mugabe as "the old man," Nader said he would bring a "fresh, youthful perspective" to the presidency.
Asked to distinguish himself from Mugabe, Nader was blunt: "My head isn't in the sand."
Noting that Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for 28 years, Nader promised to introduce term limits. "In America, presidents are limited to two terms or eight years," he said. "But Zimbabwe, as we all know, is plagued with inflation."
Nader has received a powerful endorsement in his bid to unseat Mugabe: Barack Obama. "Let me just say this," Obama said at a campaign stop in Detroit. "Nothing would make me happier than to see Ralph Nader elected as president of Zimbabwe. I think we can all agree that he would be an improvement over Robert Mugabe. It would be a great outcome for Zimbabwe and, obviously, a great outcome for America."
Comments