Zimbabwe PM confident he'll oust Mugabe in vote

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said Friday he is poised to sweep to victory in upcoming presidential elections and return the nation to the world community after years of isolation.

"We are going to be new brooms" for change, he told about 500 party leaders and activists at a party conference to finalize a platform. He will be pitted against long-time ruler President Robert Mugabe, 89, in elections. No date has been set but it is expected to be held around September.

Tsvangirai described his Movement for Democratic Change party as the main champion of a new, reformed constitution accepted by 95 per cent of the vote in a March referendum.

"We have a new constitution, we must definitely have a new government" to open Zimbabwe for business and restore human rights and the rule of law, he said.

The conference, which went into closed session after Tsvangirai's speech, ends on Sunday with the release of an election manifesto. Leaks to local media organizations of its proposals suggest the MDC intends to cut spending on the military, traditionally dominated by Mugabe's ZANU-PF party loyalists, and offer retirement to long-standing military and police commanders. The proposal is fraught with peril since commanders of the security forces are Mugabe loyalists and some have been disrespectful toward Tsvangirai.

It also calls for a full overhaul of chaotic voters' lists and electoral laws the party says have led to vote rigging in the past.