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Zanu-PF to discuss Mugabe future Zanu-PF discusses Mugabe future
(about 3 hours later)
The leadership of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party is due to meet to discuss strategy and the likely results of the presidential election. Zimbabwe's ruling party is meeting to decide how to react to the presidential election result, which has still not been officially declared.
Reports say the 49-member Politburo is split on whether Mr Mugabe should fight on amid claims by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai that he has won. A senior member of the party has told the BBC that Saturday's election ended in a "stalemate".
The election commission must announce the presidential election result by the end of Friday to meet a legal deadline. He said the party was prepared for President Robert Mugabe to contest a run-off against the main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.
Earlier, there were growing signs of a clampdown on the opposition and media. The opposition MDC says Mr Tsvangirai won enough votes to avoid a run-off.
Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said Mr Mugabe had unleashed a war after security agents ransacked its offices in Harare on Thursday. It says Mr Tsvangirai took 50.3% of the vote - just enough to avoid a second round in two weeks' time.
But it denied Mr Tsvangirai had gone into hiding and said he was "safe". An independent projection says Mr Tsvangirai gained 49%, just below the threshold, with Mr Mugabe on 42%.
If indeed Tsvangirai has been elected that's fine and if there is a run-off that's fine. That is a matter we must await Thabo MbekiSouth African President If indeed Tsvangirai has been elected that's fine and if there is a run-off that's fine. That is a matter we must await Thabo MbekiSouth African President The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) said its offices in Harare were ransacked on Thursday. It denied that Mr Tsvangirai had gone into hiding and said he was "safe".
At least two foreign journalists were also arrested in a raid on a hotel in the capital, accused of working without accreditation. One of them is the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist, Barry Bearak. At least two foreign nationals were also arrested in a raid on a hotel in the capital, accused of working as journalists without accreditation. One of them is the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist, Barry Bearak.
The BBC's Grant Ferrett in Johannesburg says this could be the start of the campaign for a possible election run-off, which would be held if no presidential candidate gains more than 50% of the vote. The Foreign Office in London says it is investigating reports that the second man is British.
He said the raids were intended to have a cooling effect on the opposition and the media. The BBC's Grant Ferrett in Johannesburg says the raids mark the start of the campaign for a possible run-off and were intended to have a cooling effect on the opposition and the media.
South African President Thabo Mbeki has meanwhile said he hoped Zimbabwe's legal processes would be respected and the official results accepted. 'Galvanised'
'Not giving up' Zanu-PF secretary for administration and cabinet minister Didymus Mutasa told the BBC's Network Africa programme: "We know them [results], there is a stalemate."
The meeting of Zanu-PF's politburo, expected to be chaired by Mr Mugabe and convened at around 1000 (0800 GMT), comes two days after the ruling party lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence in 1980. He said the party was prepared for a run-off and would be "galvanised" by the election results.
The MDC took 99 seats, while the Zanu-PF party won only 97. A smaller MDC faction, which backed former Mugabe loyalist Simba Makoni in the presidential election, won 10 seats, leaving them with a potentially influential future role. ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results: None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Senate results: Zanu-PF: 5MDC: 5 Source: ZEC class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/7328409.stm">Voters predict results class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7327238.stm">Is Mugabe losing his grip? class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7329309.stm">Party ready to abandon Mugabe?
Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has ended Mr Mugabe's grip on parliament href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7320000/newsid_7327300?redirect=7327374.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&asb=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">The rivals Mr Mutasa also said that Zanu-PF had won the Senate elections, the results of which must be announced before those of the presidential contest.
Late on Thursday, the Commission released the first results in the election for the senate, the country's upper house of parliament. So far, 10 of the 60 Senate results have been announced, with each party on five seats.
The ruling Zanu-PF party and the MDC have five seats each. It had been reported that Friday was the legal deadline for the presidential results to be announced but this has been denied by Zimbabwean constitutional experts.
Under the country's electoral laws, results for the 60-seat senate, the upper house of parliament, must precede those of the presidential election, although the commission is also legally required to announce the results of both within six days. South African President Thabo Mbeki has said he hoped Zimbabwe's legal processes would be respected and the official results accepted.
The MDC said on Wednesday that its leader had won 50.3% of the vote to Mr Mugabe's 43.8%, though Zanu-PF denied this. There had been speculation that Mr Mugabe might step down, rather than take part in a run-off.
But those figures differed slightly with the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, a coalition of civil society organisations, who said Mr Tsvangirai had won 49% to Mr Mugabe's 42% - meaning a run-off would be required within three weeks.
Mr Mugabe is believed to have called the meeting of the Zanu-PF's politburo to "explore what went wrong" and gauge how much support there was within the party for him running in a potential second round, party sources said.
However, Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga has said that if results from the presidential poll showed a second round was necessary, Mr Mugabe would definitely stand.However, Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga has said that if results from the presidential poll showed a second round was necessary, Mr Mugabe would definitely stand.
"President Mugabe is going to fight to the last, and he's not giving up, he's not going anywhere, he hasn't lost the election," he said. "President Mugabe is going to fight to the last, and he's not giving up, he's not going anywhere, he hasn't lost the election," said.
The meeting of Zanu-PF's 49-member politburo comes two days after the ruling party lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence in 1980.
The MDC took 99 seats, while the Zanu-PF party won only 97. A smaller MDC faction, which backed former Mugabe loyalist Simba Makoni in the presidential election, won 10 seats, leaving them with a potentially influential future role.
Televised meetingTelevised meeting
Mr Mugabe made his first public appearance since the elections on Thursday, when he was shown meeting election observers from the African Union in Harare on state television.Mr Mugabe made his first public appearance since the elections on Thursday, when he was shown meeting election observers from the African Union in Harare on state television.
ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Source: ZEC class="" href="/1/hi/talking_point/7328409.stm">Voters predict results class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7327238.stm">Is Mugabe losing his grip? class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7329309.stm">Party ready to abandon Mugabe? Former Sierra Leone President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who headed the AU observer mission, said Mr Mugabe had appeared "relaxed" during their talks. Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has ended Mr Mugabe's grip on parliament href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7320000/newsid_7327300?redirect=7327374.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&asb=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">The rivals
Former Sierra Leone President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, who headed the AU observer mission, said Mr Mugabe had appeared "relaxed".
Mr Tejan Kabbah said he had also met Mr Tsvangirai, according to AFP, prompting further speculation that some form of African mediation effort is under way.Mr Tejan Kabbah said he had also met Mr Tsvangirai, according to AFP, prompting further speculation that some form of African mediation effort is under way.
South Africa's president also said he had held talks with both leaders on the phone, and urged them to respect the outcome of the official results.
"If indeed Tsvangirai has been elected that's fine and if there is a run-off that's fine. That is a matter we must await," Mr Mbeki said.
The former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meanwhile called on the election commission to declare its results "faithfully and accurately".The former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, meanwhile called on the election commission to declare its results "faithfully and accurately".
"We live in an open world today and indeed the eyes of the world are on Zimbabwe, on its electoral commission, on its president," he said. "I urge them to do the right thing... The election results should be released now.""We live in an open world today and indeed the eyes of the world are on Zimbabwe, on its electoral commission, on its president," he said. "I urge them to do the right thing... The election results should be released now."
Mr Mugabe, 84, came to power 28 years ago at independence on a wave of optimism.Mr Mugabe, 84, came to power 28 years ago at independence on a wave of optimism.
But in recent years Zimbabwe has been plagued by the world's highest inflation, as well as acute food and fuel shortages.But in recent years Zimbabwe has been plagued by the world's highest inflation, as well as acute food and fuel shortages.
Are you in Zimbabwe? How concerned are you about the political uncertainty? What is happening where you are? Send us your comments using the form belowAre you in Zimbabwe? How concerned are you about the political uncertainty? What is happening where you are? Send us your comments using the form below
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