Zimbabwe PM says Mugabe focused on legacy as career draws to a close

London, Sept.17 (ANI): Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai believes Robert Mugabe's 30-year reign over the country is drawing to a close, and that he is now more focused on securing his legacy by shedding his "villanous" reputation.

Tsvangirai said he believed his former "sworn enemy" was now attempting to repair the damage wrought in a decade of chaos that brought the country to its knees.

The health of the independence leader has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after he had to be helped from an African summit by aides.

But the 86-year-old leader had transformed his role from destructive tyrant to a more positive outlook.

"Mugabe may be part of the problem but he is also part of the solution," The Telegraph quoted Tsvangirai, as saying.

"You must understand this man has got a split personality from being a hero to being the villain the international community would like to define him as. If I was in the same position, would I like to go down as a villain? If there's an opportunity to rescue my reputation and legacy, I would go for that," he added.

"I think Robert Mugabe genuinely believes he has left Zimbabweans at least talking across the political divide and he is committed to a peaceful Zimbabwe," Tsvangirai said.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader also warned senior Mugabe lieutenants not to subvert the constitution by installing powerbrokers Emmerson Mnangagwa, the defence minister or Solomon Mujuru, the husband of the vice-president Joyce Mujuru, as his successor.

"There are maybe individuals, military people and police people who hate the MDC, but it doesn't mean that the institutions will oppose democratic rule," Mr Tsvangirai said.

"We respect our security forces and we hope that in line with the Global Political Agreement, they will respect the rule of law, the GPA and the constitution," Tsvangirai said. (ANI)