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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| 'No deal' for Mugabe to step down | 'No deal' for Mugabe to step down |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwe's opposition leader and a government minister have denied reports that a deal has been reached for President Robert Mugabe to step down. | Zimbabwe's opposition leader and a government minister have denied reports that a deal has been reached for President Robert Mugabe to step down. |
| Morgan Tsvangirai said he believed his Movement for Democratic Change had won Saturday's election but declined to declare himself the winner. | Morgan Tsvangirai said he believed his Movement for Democratic Change had won Saturday's election but declined to declare himself the winner. |
| He said his party would reveal their tally of results on Wednesday. | He said his party would reveal their tally of results on Wednesday. |
| Bright Matonga, Zanu-PF's Deputy Information Minister, also rejected reports of a deal. | Bright Matonga, Zanu-PF's Deputy Information Minister, also rejected reports of a deal. |
| 'Speculation' | |
| Parliamentary results released so far show that the MDC has 77 seats, including five for a breakaway faction of the party, against 78 for Zanu-PF, with 55 still to come. | |
| In his first public appearance since the election, Mr Tsvangirai told a news conference on Tuesday evening: "Let's not be influenced by speculation. There is no discussion, and therefore this is just a speculative story. | In his first public appearance since the election, Mr Tsvangirai told a news conference on Tuesday evening: "Let's not be influenced by speculation. There is no discussion, and therefore this is just a speculative story. |
| "There is no way the MDC will enter in any deal before ZEC [Zimbabwe Electoral Commission] has actually announced the result. That's the legal position. | |
| "We want to know who has won what before we can start talking about those kind, or even claim anything. | |
| ROBERT MUGABE Born: 1924Trained as a teacher1961: Married Ghanaian Sally Hayfron1964: Imprisoned by Rhodesian government1980: Wins post-independence elections1996: Marries Grace Marufu2000: Loses referendum2000: Land invasions start2002: Wins presidential elections, dismissed by western observers2008: Runs for a sixth term as president | ROBERT MUGABE Born: 1924Trained as a teacher1961: Married Ghanaian Sally Hayfron1964: Imprisoned by Rhodesian government1980: Wins post-independence elections1996: Marries Grace Marufu2000: Loses referendum2000: Land invasions start2002: Wins presidential elections, dismissed by western observers2008: Runs for a sixth term as president |
| "We have no right to claim anything until ZEC has confirmed it. We know what we have won in terms of parliamentary seats, in terms of even the presidential vote, but that is internal to the MDC. | |
| "It is not confirmed by the jurisdiction board that is supposed to announce those results. So any speculation about deals, about negotiations, about reaching out is not there." | |
| Zanu-PF's deputy information minister also sought to pour cold water on claims of a deal with the opposition. | |
| "There are no discussions, no negotiations, and President Mugabe will not be going on state television to announce anything because there's nothing to announce." | |
| MDC opposition sources had earlier told the BBC the outline of a deal had nearly been reached for Mr Mugabe to step down. | MDC opposition sources had earlier told the BBC the outline of a deal had nearly been reached for Mr Mugabe to step down. |
| They said representatives of Mr Mugabe, military chiefs and the opposition had held meetings chaired by South Africa, but Johannesburg had also denied any involvement. | They said representatives of Mr Mugabe, military chiefs and the opposition had held meetings chaired by South Africa, but Johannesburg had also denied any involvement. |
| The ZEC has not yet given any results in the presidential race, sparking MDC claims that the outcome was being fixed. | The ZEC has not yet given any results in the presidential race, sparking MDC claims that the outcome was being fixed. |
| Mr Mugabe has not been seen in public since the election. | Mr Mugabe has not been seen in public since the election. |
| The 84-year-old came to power 28 years ago at independence, but the economy has been in freefall in recent years. | |
| Zimbabweans are suffering the world's highest inflation of more than 100,000%, food and fuel shortages, and life expectancy of 35 years. |