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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| Zimbabwe rivals to attend summit | Zimbabwe rivals to attend summit |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are to attend an emergency summit of regional leaders to discuss Zimbabwe's recent election. | President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai are to attend an emergency summit of regional leaders to discuss Zimbabwe's recent election. |
| Saturday's Zambia summit was called amid the failure of Zimbabwe's election commission to publish results of the presidential election held 12 days ago. | Saturday's Zambia summit was called amid the failure of Zimbabwe's election commission to publish results of the presidential election held 12 days ago. |
| Mr Tsvangirai is in Botswana, where a minister quoted him as saying he had left a tense Zimbabwe to ask for help. | Mr Tsvangirai is in Botswana, where a minister quoted him as saying he had left a tense Zimbabwe to ask for help. |
| He accuses Mr Mugabe of delaying tactics in releasing the poll results. | He accuses Mr Mugabe of delaying tactics in releasing the poll results. |
| The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims the government is trying to engineer victory for Mr Mugabe at a second-round vote. | The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims the government is trying to engineer victory for Mr Mugabe at a second-round vote. |
| Run-off refusal | Run-off refusal |
| But at a news conference on Thursday, MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said: "We won the presidential election hands down, without the need for a run-off, so we will not participate in a run-off." | But at a news conference on Thursday, MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said: "We won the presidential election hands down, without the need for a run-off, so we will not participate in a run-off." |
| He labelled Mr Mugabe a "black mamba [snake]" and said the delay in releasing the results amounted to "a constitutional coup d'etat". | |
| There is no crisis in Zimbabwe that warrants a special meeting on Zimbabwe Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu Harare diary: seeking good omens | |
| Mr Biti said ruling Zanu-PF-backed militias had unleashed a campaign of violence across the country to intimidate rural voters ahead of a possible run-off. | |
| Mr Mugabe was a "caretaker president... to the extent that he is waiting for the next president to be appointed," he said. | |
| "So we are therefore concerned that an illegitimate government is now in place in Zimbabwe and that is clearly unconstitutional and that is clearly unacceptable," he added. | |
| Predicament | |
| Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who chairs the 14-nation Sadc grouping, has called the weekend's emergency meeting. | Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who chairs the 14-nation Sadc grouping, has called the weekend's emergency meeting. |
| 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 | |
| Zambian Information Minister Mike Mulongoti told the BBC that Mr Mugabe's presence would not necessarily be helpful. | Zambian Information Minister Mike Mulongoti told the BBC that Mr Mugabe's presence would not necessarily be helpful. |
| "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. |
| Mr Tsvangirai wants others southern Africa leaders to put pressure on the Zimbabwean government to announce the results of the presidential election. | Mr Tsvangirai wants others southern Africa 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. |
| Zimbabwe was prepared to brief Sadc on political developments on the ground, Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said, the Herald reports. | Zimbabwe was prepared to brief Sadc on political developments on the ground, Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said, the Herald reports. |
| 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. |
| 'Puzzled' | |
| "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 MDC says there is no need for a presidential run-off | |
| But South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister told AFP news agency in Pretoria: "We are not a government who can ask other presidents to step down." | But South Africa's Deputy Foreign Minister told AFP news agency in Pretoria: "We are not a government who can ask other presidents to step down." |
| 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. |
| 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. | The MDC says he gained 50.3% of the vote, but Zanu-PF has demanded a recount. |
| Independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni, placed third by the official results, said he was "puzzled" by the poll results delay. | Independent presidential candidate Simba Makoni, placed third by the official results, said he was "puzzled" by the poll results delay. |
| Speaking for the first time since the poll, he said: "The reason I offered to run for president is because I didn't believe President Mugabe was still suitable for that office." | Speaking for the first time since the poll, he said: "The reason I offered to run for president is because I didn't believe President Mugabe was still suitable for that office." |
| Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organisation warned food security in Zimbabwe was "critical" and drought was threatening this year's maize harvest. | Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organisation warned food security in Zimbabwe was "critical" and drought was threatening this year's maize harvest. |