AFRICA 
Zimbabwe braces for new elections
Monday, 12 May, 2008
Victims of violence in Zimbabwe (AAP)
Zimbabwe's Opposition says it's stepped up efforts to secure regional peacekeepers for a run-off presidential election against President Robert Mugabe, after week of violence that intimidated voters.
Yesterday, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai held talks with
Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to encourage regional group SADC to send the peacekeepers, MDC spokesman George Sibotshiwe told Reuters today.
"He received a warm reception, and ... they discussed the way forward," Sibotshiwe said, but declined to give details.
Tsvangirai said yesterday he would return home within two days to deal Mugabe a "final knock-out" after almost three decades in power. He said he wanted SADC peacekeepers to instil public confidence in the ballot and bring an end to the crisis that followed Zimbabwe's disputed March 29 poll.
Santos heads SADC's security committee.
Angola's Angop news agency said Tsvangirai had told reporters "should he win the election ... the outgoing president would be granted an honourable exit as ... Robert Mugabe was the father of the nation".
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist since independence from Britain in 1980.
The West and rights groups accuse him of human rights violations and wrecking the economy, but he is viewed as an independence hero by many in Africa.
After weeks of equivocation, Tsvangirai said he would contest the run-off even though he believes he won outright in the first round and accuses the ruling ZANU-PF of vote-rigging. Official results show Tsvangirai won more votes than Mugabe, but not enough to avoid a run-off.
Tsvangirai said he would stand only if international observers and media were given full access to ensure the vote is fair.
Zimbabwe's government rejected any conditions for the runoff, but has previously allowed in SADC election monitors.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which has the power to extend the 21-day period within which a runoff should legally be held, said it might do so.
"It is very likely that we will extend the period. It was ambitious for the legislature to think that 21 days would be enough," ZEC chairman George Chiweshe told the state-owned Sunday Mail.
The earliest possible date was still the goal, he added.
Voters had hoped the ballot might help end an economic meltdown that has triggered chronic food and fuel shortages, 80 per cent unemployment and inflation of 165,000 per cent.
Source: SBS staff and agencies
Yesterday, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai held talks with
Angola's President Jose Eduardo dos Santos to encourage regional group SADC to send the peacekeepers, MDC spokesman George Sibotshiwe told Reuters today.
"He received a warm reception, and ... they discussed the way forward," Sibotshiwe said, but declined to give details.
Tsvangirai said yesterday he would return home within two days to deal Mugabe a "final knock-out" after almost three decades in power. He said he wanted SADC peacekeepers to instil public confidence in the ballot and bring an end to the crisis that followed Zimbabwe's disputed March 29 poll.
Santos heads SADC's security committee.
Angola's Angop news agency said Tsvangirai had told reporters "should he win the election ... the outgoing president would be granted an honourable exit as ... Robert Mugabe was the father of the nation".
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist since independence from Britain in 1980.
The West and rights groups accuse him of human rights violations and wrecking the economy, but he is viewed as an independence hero by many in Africa.
After weeks of equivocation, Tsvangirai said he would contest the run-off even though he believes he won outright in the first round and accuses the ruling ZANU-PF of vote-rigging. Official results show Tsvangirai won more votes than Mugabe, but not enough to avoid a run-off.
Tsvangirai said he would stand only if international observers and media were given full access to ensure the vote is fair.
Zimbabwe's government rejected any conditions for the runoff, but has previously allowed in SADC election monitors.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), which has the power to extend the 21-day period within which a runoff should legally be held, said it might do so.
"It is very likely that we will extend the period. It was ambitious for the legislature to think that 21 days would be enough," ZEC chairman George Chiweshe told the state-owned Sunday Mail.
The earliest possible date was still the goal, he added.
Voters had hoped the ballot might help end an economic meltdown that has triggered chronic food and fuel shortages, 80 per cent unemployment and inflation of 165,000 per cent.
Source: SBS staff and agencies
