MBEKI IN
ZIMBABWE DISCUSSES DISPUTED POLLS
South
African President, Thabo Mbeki arrived in Zimbabwe on Friday for
talks on the country’s disputed elections ahead of a possible
run-off that has raised concerns of violence.
The South African leader, whose soft diplomacy approach towards
the crisis in Zimbabwe has triggered criticism at home and
abroad is to meet veteran President Robert Mugabe. It was not
clear if he would discuss the post election turmoil with the
opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, as well.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangiral, who left Zimbabwe shortly after
the March elections, says he won the Presidential poll outright
and his party says it is not planning to participate in a
run-off. Tsvangiral is yet to give a final answer on whether he
will contest.
If he does not, the eighty-four year old Mugabe will
automatically win. Mugabe has ruled since Independence in 1980.
Regional heavyweight South Africa is heading efforts by the
regional SADC grouping to defuse the tension in Zimbabwe, which
suffers from eighty percent unemployment, chronic food and fuel
shortage and the world’s highest inflation of one hundred and
sixty-five thousand percent.
REUTERS
