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Observer warning on Zimbabwe poll Observer warning on Zimbabwe poll
(about 2 hours later)
The head of an African observer mission in Zimbabwe has warned that he will not endorse next week's run-off if current levels of violence continue.The head of an African observer mission in Zimbabwe has warned that he will not endorse next week's run-off if current levels of violence continue.
Marwick Khumalo told the BBC his team had received horrendous reports of attacks and the political environment was not conducive to a free poll.Marwick Khumalo told the BBC his team had received horrendous reports of attacks and the political environment was not conducive to a free poll.
Meanwhile, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on President Robert Mugabe to step down from office. The recently elected opposition Harare mayor says he fears his wife may be dead after being kidnapped on Monday.
He said the vote had already been rigged and Zimbabwe was "an eyesore". Meanwhile, South Africa's leader is due to meet President Robert Mugabe.
Mr Mugabe has been waging a fierce campaign to extend his 28-year rule after getting fewer votes than the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the first-round of the presidential election in March.Mr Mugabe has been waging a fierce campaign to extend his 28-year rule after getting fewer votes than the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the first-round of the presidential election in March.
The house went up in flames and they took my wife and son. My wife was screaming Emmanuel Chiroto Mayor of Harare The house went up in flames and they took my wife and son. My wife was screaming Emmanuel Chiroto Mayor of Harare class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7460776.stm">Diary: Militias reach town
Meanwhile, South African President Thabo Mbeki is going to Zimbabwe on Wednesday to discuss the elections with President Mugabe. In other developments:
Mr Mbeki has been leading regional mediation efforts to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe. • The government has lifted a ban on aid agencies which distribute food and Aids treatment
There has been growing international concern that political violence will make a free and fair vote impossible. • Local election observers are to be screened by the government to ensure they have "no pre-conceived ideas" about the vote
African leaders have generally been reluctant to criticise Mr Mugabe, still seeing him as a hero of the fight against colonialism, but there are signs that is starting to change. • A United Nations human rights official sent to Zimbabwe has been expelled
• UN envoy Haile Menkerios met Mr Mugabe on Tuesday and is expected to meet other politicians during a five-day visit but state media is playing down his role.
'Spoiling''Spoiling'
The recently elected opposition Harare Mayor Emmanuel Chiroto said he fears his kidnapped wife may have been killed after an attack on his home on Monday night.
"The maid escaped out the back and heard two bangs. I think it was petrol bombs. The house went up in flames and they took my wife and son. My wife was screaming," Mr Chiroto told the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
Robert Mugabe's supporters have blamed the violence on the opposition
He said that his son was later dropped off at a police station but his wife has not been seen since.
Mr Khumalo, head of the Pan-African Parliamentary observers, said it was the government's responsibility to stop the violence which erupted after the first round.Mr Khumalo, head of the Pan-African Parliamentary observers, said it was the government's responsibility to stop the violence which erupted after the first round.
Robert Mugabe's supporters have blamed the violence on the opposition
"It's very difficult to me to judge the degree of the violence in terms of whether it's decreased or it has escalated," Mr Khumalo told the BBC's Network Africa programme."It's very difficult to me to judge the degree of the violence in terms of whether it's decreased or it has escalated," Mr Khumalo told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
"But what is disturbing is that in a situation such as an election atmosphere... violence is one thing that you don't want to see happening, because it has the capacity of spoiling an election.""But what is disturbing is that in a situation such as an election atmosphere... violence is one thing that you don't want to see happening, because it has the capacity of spoiling an election."
Western observers have been banned from the election.
The house of recently elected opposition Harare Mayor Emmanuel Chiroto was burnt down in an attack on Monday night.
"The maid escaped out the back and heard two bangs. I think it was petrol bombs. The house went up in flames and they took my wife and son. My wife was screaming," Mr Chiroto told the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper.
He said that his son was later dropped off at a police station but his wife has not been seen since.
A neighbour said that mourners had gathered at the house on Wednesday morning, but they were dispersed by police.
There has been growing international concern that political violence will make a free and fair vote impossible.
South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, who had been leading regional mediation efforts to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe, is to meet Mr Mugabe in Bulawayo on Wednesday.
Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga called on President Mugabe to step down from office, saying the vote had already been rigged and Zimbabwe was "an eyesore".
'Pattern'
Mr Tsvangirai's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it is now being forced to run its election campaign in conditions of virtual secrecy.Mr Tsvangirai's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says it is now being forced to run its election campaign in conditions of virtual secrecy.
The reality here is that that violence is by MDC against Zanu-PF members and the targets are war veterans Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa Zimbabwe: Your questions
The MDC says at least 66 of its supporters have been killed and some 25,000 driven from their homes.The MDC says at least 66 of its supporters have been killed and some 25,000 driven from their homes.
But ruling Zanu-PF spokesman Patrick Chinamasa blamed the violence on the MDC. But Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa blamed the clashes on the MDC.
"The reality here is that that violence is by MDC against Zanu-PF members and the targets are war veterans and, also, supporters of Zanu-PF who are in Zanu-PF's political strongholds," Mr Chinamasa told the BBC."The reality here is that that violence is by MDC against Zanu-PF members and the targets are war veterans and, also, supporters of Zanu-PF who are in Zanu-PF's political strongholds," Mr Chinamasa told the BBC.
"A lot of the violence is committed by thugs who are bussed from urban areas, such as Harare, and they go during the night to target our people, to burn their houses.""A lot of the violence is committed by thugs who are bussed from urban areas, such as Harare, and they go during the night to target our people, to burn their houses."
On Tuesday, Zimbabwe's main opposition party lost a legal bid for its Secretary General Tendai Biti to be freed from custody. There is uncertainty about Haile Menkerios' role
Mr Biti was arrested on his return from South Africa last week and is expected to face a treason charge. Meanwhile, Mr Chinamasa said that election observers were to be assessed "in respect to their independence and neutrality", Zimbabwe's state-run Herald paper reports.
The Herald also reported that aid agencies which run supplementary feeding schemes and Aids treatment projects will not be subject to a ban imposed earlier this month after President Mugabe accused them of siding with the opposition.
Are you in Zimbabwe? Send us your comments and views on this story using the form below: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour did not name the official who had been expelled or the reason why.
"Unfortunately it seems to fit in a pattern of the government taking a very uncooperative" towards aid workers, she said.
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