Zimbabwe Christian churches reject Mugabe victory

By MacDonald Dzirutwe

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's Christian community on Tuesday rejected President Robert Mugabe's re-election last month as marred by violence and intimidation and said it would support a government of national unity.

In a statement obtained by Reuters, the heads of all the churches in the predominantly Christian country said the contest between Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was marred by the worst violence since independence in 1980.

Tsvangirai pulled out of a run-off ballot last month, citing a campaign of intimidation and killings by Mugabe supporters that Western governments said made his re-election illegitimate.

U.S. President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he was disappointed Russia and China had vetoed broader sanctions against Mugabe and other Zimbabwean officials, but said the United States might impose tougher penalties of its own.

In their statement, the Zimbabwean churches said they were "ready and committed to partner with all efforts that will result in a transitional authority and subsequently a government of national unity, to bring peace stability and reconciliation within the nation".

The Heads of Christian Denominations said torture, murder, abductions, displacement and psychological trauma had fatally undermined the election.

"Our conclusion is that the will of the people of Zimbabwe was not given authentic expression during these elections," they said, adding that the violence was continuing.

Mugabe, aged 84 and in power since the end of British rule, blames the opposition for the bloodshed.