Text: Tsvangirai interview

Tsvangirai still faces another treason charge

Zimbabwe's court has acquitted opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of treason charges.

Mr Tsvangirai was accused of plotting to kill President Robert Mugabe in 2002 ahead of elections controversially won by the Zimbabwean leader.

Below is the interview Mr Tsvangirai gave to BBC News 24 just after his acquittal.

Q: Surprised, are you?

A: Yes, I'm a bit surprised because I always expected the worst, always hoping for the best but always prepared for the worst. So it was a surprise.

Q: Many people thought you could not get a fair trial in Zimbabwe.

I feel really relieved. I feel vindicated Morgan Tsvangirai

A: ... This was a political trial so it had all the dimensions of political influence so it was a bit unpredictable. And I think that generally the judiciary in Zimbabwe is held with suspicion because of the changes that Mugabe has done on the bench. So I think it is in that light that people were suspicious about the outcome.

Q: But how can you say it was a political trial when the judge had the courage of his convictions to acquit you?

A: ...I'm not denouncing the judge who acquitted me. There was no case to answer, that is a fact. So to come with any other conclusion was just a suspicion that everyone held...

Q: What effect is your acquittal today going to have, do you think, on the political landscape in Zimbabwe?

A: I am sure that this is a hurdle we had to overcome, not only as an individual but as a party. We have been vindicated and I think it will have a serious moral boost to our supporters, to the people of Zimbabwe and I think there is some celebratory mood in the country which is a real dent on Zanu-PF.

Q: Are you apprehensive though about facing a further treason trial in a few weeks time?

A: Yes, I'm facing a treason trial in three weeks' time but there is no basis, it was just a vindictive application of a wrong law... I don't even give due consideration to that one but we will face it. This was a real crucial test.

Q: Tell us more about how you think this judgment today is going to affect your supporters - will it galvanise them?

I think [the verdict] will be a serious morale boost to our supporters, to the people of Zimbabwe Morgan Tsvangirai Profile: Morgan Tsvangirai Judges under pressure Have Your Say

A: I think it has a very serious galvanising effect on the people and of course if there are any people who are sceptical about the future of the MDC, obviously that scepticism will be driven away by this judgment because it will really boost the morale of our supporters, their confidence in the future and that the MDC has a role to play and that it is a very respectable organisation and alternative.

Q: What are your political plans now?

A: Well I think that we have got to prepare for elections - of course subject to the conditions being applied in terms of the Sadac [Southern African Development Community] principles - that's our major focus. We also need to fight for a levelling of the playing field in the electoral process and of course go back to the people to re-galvanise them and re-focus them again on the forthcoming obstacles we are going to face.

Q: You sound optimistic but are you convinced that the next elections are going to be fair?

A: Well I can't predict that - subject of course to the implementation of the spirit of Mauritius, I can't predict whether they are going to be free and fair. But should Mugabe talk violence, remove... replacing legislation, allow MDC to have access to media and create an independent electoral commission, I've no doubt in my mind that that election will be much better than the last one, in that it will produce at least a legitimate outcome than has been so far the outcome.

Q: How do you think President Mugabe is going to react to this judgment?

A: Well, naturally he is going to say that people accuse me that in Zimbabwe there is no rule of law - look what has happened, we allow our judges to arrive at decisions without any interference from the state... But I think he will be justified to say, look this is why we say there is the rule of law. But the reality - the political reality on the ground demonstrates otherwise - that there is a breakdown of the rule of the law, that there is selective application of the law and that judgments of the High Court are being disregarded by the state and all that it is indicative of the breakdown of the rule of law.

Q: Do you think he might turn to other methods to undermine you?

A: Well, I think he has all the state institutions at his disposal. I cannot underestimate his next move but I am sure that as long as he is vindictive towards the opposition and is so intolerant towards the opposition, he will always think of unorthodox means to deal with the MDC.

Q: So just to sum up, Mr Tsvangirai, you went to court a couple of hours ago, fearing the worst, how do you feel now?

A: I feel really relieved. I feel vindicated. My family, my supporters and the whole country at large, I think, feels really relieved. For me personally, I had to overcome this dominating fear about the possibility of a negative judgment.