Tsvangirai would form unity government

HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai would form a unity government including some members of President Robert Mugabe's ruling party if he wins Saturday's election, he said in an interview on Friday.

Tsvangirai told the Financial Times he could not rule out Mugabe stealing victory in the vote but he would not call for Kenyan-style demonstrations if that happened. He said Mugabe would dig himself into deeper trouble if he rigged the poll.

Tsvangirai, leader of the largest faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said he would welcome moderates from Mugabe's ZANU-PF in a national unity government.

"People must feel part of the solution and not the problem. Any sense of insecurity could destabilise the government."

Mugabe, facing the toughest challenge to his 28-year rule, will be opposed by former ZANU-PF finance minister Simba Makoni as well as Tsvangirai in the vote.

Tsvangirai says he will win this time, saying he was cheated of victory in the last presidential poll in 2002 when widespread rigging was reported by international observers.

Tsvangirai says he was beaten up in police custody a year ago when he was taken to hospital with serious head wounds. The incident helped revive his political fortunes, badly dented by a split in the MDC in 2005.

"There has to be consultation with the leadership of the reform elements (of ZANU-PF), not the rabid elements, those who want to see the government moving forward, those who want to work with an opposition government," he told the Financial Times.

Tsvangirai emerged eight years ago as the first serious threat to the veteran leader, now 84.