Maravi

Mugabe in talks ahead of summit

Mugabe in talks ahead of summit
By BBC
Saturday April 12, 2008 [08:16]

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is meeting his South African counterpart, amid indications he will not attend a summit on the post-election crisis. Thabo Mbeki arrived in Harare, hours after state media reported Mr Mugabe would be represented by ministers at the Zambia SADC summit. Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC party claims it won presidential elections on 29 March.

Tensions are growing in Zimbabwe, with no official results yet released.
Members of the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) are meeting on Saturday in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, to discuss Zimbabwe's post-election deadlock.

In an apparent snub to the SADC and Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, Zimbabwean state radio said President Mugabe would be represented by three ministers.

Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga had earlier said the summit had been "called without consultation with the Zimbabwean government".

Correspondents say that if Mr Mugabe does boycott the summit it will be his first public sign of weakness since the election two weeks ago.

They say his absence would make it easier for Mr Tsvangirai to repeat that he won the election fair and square.

Wearing thin

The summit comes amid growing pressure on Mr Mugabe to release the results of the presidential poll held two weeks ago.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown made his most scathing comments yet on Mr Mugabe, saying he was "appalled" at signs of violence and intimidation.

"I cannot understand why it is taking so long to announce the result of the Presidential elections," Mr Brown said in a statement released late on Friday.

"I am appalled by the signs that the regime is once again resorting to intimidation and violence."

He said: "the international community's patience with the Mugabe regime is wearing thin".

'Responsibility to act'

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon congratulated the SADC for "their timely initiative" and for "mobilising and co-ordinating to help Zimbabwe overcome its post-electoral crisis through peaceful means".

"The secretary-general is concerned that the situation in Zimbabwe could deteriorate if there is no prompt action to resolve this impasse," UN spokeswoman Marie Okabe said.

Mr Ban's predecessor, Kofi Annan, also called for the SADC leaders to push for "a peaceful and just solution" to the "political crisis in Zimbabwe".

"They have a grave responsibility to act; act not only because of the negative spillover effects on the region, but also to ensure that democracy, human rights and the rule of law are respected."

He warned that Zimbabwe was standing "on the brink".

Strike call

Zimbabwean police have banned political rallies "with immediate effect", amid growing tension over the disputed presidential election.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has called for a strike starting on Tuesday to pressure the authorities.

Its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has been touring southern Africa, urging leaders to put pressure on Mr Mugabe to step down.

He says he won the vote outright and has refused to take part in any second, run-off presidential poll with Mr Mugabe.

In the parliamentary vote also held on 29 March, Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF lost its majority in the House of Assembly for the first time since independence.

Mr Tsvangirai has accused Mr Mugabe of mobilising Zimbabwean security forces and pro-Zanu-PF forces to intimidate MDC voters.

He also accuses Mr Mugabe of interfering with the work of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Mr Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980.

Labels: MUGABE, SADC, SUMMIT

posted by MrK @ 2:45 AM