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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Mugabe to attend emergency talks | Mugabe to attend emergency talks |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe will attend an emergency meeting of regional leaders to discuss the recent election. | Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe will attend an emergency meeting of regional leaders to discuss the recent election. |
| Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said if the meeting went ahead he will "definitely be there." | Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said if the meeting went ahead he will "definitely be there." |
| It raises the prospect of him meeting opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is also due to be attending. | It raises the prospect of him meeting opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who is also due to be attending. |
| The opposition accuses the government of using the delay in releasing the presidential poll result to engineer a second-round victory for Mr Mugabe. | The opposition accuses the government of using the delay in releasing the presidential poll result to engineer a second-round victory for Mr Mugabe. |
| Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa, who chairs the 14-nation Sadc grouping, called the emergency meeting for Saturday. | Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa, who chairs the 14-nation Sadc grouping, called the emergency meeting for Saturday. |
| Zambian Information Minister Mike Mulongoti told the BBC that Mr Mugabe's presence would not necessarily be helpful. There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu Harare diary: seeking good omens | Zambian Information Minister Mike Mulongoti told the BBC that Mr Mugabe's presence would not necessarily be helpful. There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu Harare diary: seeking good omens |
| "I think the Sadc heads would rather meet to consult on their own without the presence of the people involved in Zimbabwe itself," he said. | "I think the Sadc heads would rather meet to consult on their own without the presence of the people involved in Zimbabwe itself," he said. |
| The Movement for Democratic Change's leader, Mr Tsvangirai, is touring southern Africa in a bid to get regional leaders to put pressure on the Zimbabwean government to announce the results of the presidential election. | The Movement for Democratic Change's leader, Mr Tsvangirai, is touring southern Africa in a bid to get regional leaders to put pressure on the Zimbabwean government to announce the results of the presidential election. |
| Meanwhile, the state-run Herald newspaper reports that the ruling Zanu-PF has increased the number of constituency results it is contesting from 16 to 21. | Meanwhile, the state-run Herald newspaper reports that the ruling Zanu-PF has increased the number of constituency results it is contesting from 16 to 21. |
| In the House of Assembly, Zanu-PF has lost its majority for the first time since independence, with 97 seats against the MDC's 99 in the 210-seat chamber. A smaller MDC faction has 10 seats. | In the House of Assembly, Zanu-PF has lost its majority for the first time since independence, with 97 seats against the MDC's 99 in the 210-seat chamber. A smaller MDC faction has 10 seats. |
| Predicament | Predicament |
| Zimbabwe was prepared to brief Sadc on political developments on the ground, Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said, the Herald reports. ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results: None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Senate results: Zanu-PF: 30MDC: 24MDC breakaway: 6 | Zimbabwe was prepared to brief Sadc on political developments on the ground, Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said, the Herald reports. ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results: None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Senate results: Zanu-PF: 30MDC: 24MDC breakaway: 6 |
| However, he told AP news agency that he felt Saturday's meeting was not necessary. | However, he told AP news agency that he felt Saturday's meeting was not necessary. |
| "There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe," he said. | "There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe," he said. |
| The MDC's spokesman in London, Hebson Makuvise, said he believed Sadc would ask Mr Mugabe to give up any claim to the presidency "and allow the country to move on". | The MDC's spokesman in London, Hebson Makuvise, said he believed Sadc would ask Mr Mugabe to give up any claim to the presidency "and allow the country to move on". |
| "The predicament we have as the opposition is that our neighbours and African Union have always supported Robert Mugabe at the expense of the suffering masses of Zimbabwe," he told the BBC. | "The predicament we have as the opposition is that our neighbours and African Union have always supported Robert Mugabe at the expense of the suffering masses of Zimbabwe," he told the BBC. |
| South Africa's deputy foreign minister, however, said Zimbabwe "was not a province of South Africa". | South Africa's deputy foreign minister, however, said Zimbabwe "was not a province of South Africa". |
| "We are not a government who can ask other presidents to step down," AFP news agency quotes Aziz Pahad as telling journalists in Pretoria. | "We are not a government who can ask other presidents to step down," AFP news agency quotes Aziz Pahad as telling journalists in Pretoria. |
| 'Puzzled' | 'Puzzled' |
| The MDC is still hoping that legal action in the High Court will lead to the immediate release of the presidential results. A ruling is due on Monday. | The MDC is still hoping that legal action in the High Court will lead to the immediate release of the presidential results. A ruling is due on Monday. |
| The MDC says there is no need for a presidential run-off | The MDC says there is no need for a presidential run-off |
| Independent and ruling party projections say Mr Tsvangirai gained most votes but not the 50% needed to win outright. | Independent and ruling party projections say Mr Tsvangirai gained most votes but not the 50% needed to win outright. |
| The MDC says he gained 50.3% of the vote, but Zanu-PF has demanded a recount. | |
| Independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni said he was "puzzled" by the poll results delay which was heightening tensions and was not in the best interests of Zimbabweans. | Independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni said he was "puzzled" by the poll results delay which was heightening tensions and was not in the best interests of Zimbabweans. |
| Speaking for the first time since the poll, the former finance minister said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had closed down operations at its national command centre. | Speaking for the first time since the poll, the former finance minister said the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had closed down operations at its national command centre. |
| Mr Makoni, who is placed third in unofficial results, refused to say who he would back if the election commission announces a run-off and suggested a third way could be found. | Mr Makoni, who is placed third in unofficial results, refused to say who he would back if the election commission announces a run-off and suggested a third way could be found. |
| "A run-off is not the only possibility if people put the interests of the citizens first. We can arrange an accommodation among the leaders," he told the BBC's Network Africa. | "A run-off is not the only possibility if people put the interests of the citizens first. We can arrange an accommodation among the leaders," he told the BBC's Network Africa. |
| Asked if he thought Mr Mugabe should step down as president, he said: "The leadership we have offered the country in the last 10 years is what has put us in this crisis. President Mugabe has been chief executive of our country. | Asked if he thought Mr Mugabe should step down as president, he said: "The leadership we have offered the country in the last 10 years is what has put us in this crisis. President Mugabe has been chief executive of our country. |
| "The reason I offered to run for president is because I didn't believe President Mugabe was still suitable for that office." | "The reason I offered to run for president is because I didn't believe President Mugabe was still suitable for that office." |