EGYPT: Zimbabwe's opposition appeals to A.U. over election results

Record ID: 826320

  • Title: EGYPT: Zimbabwe's opposition appeals to A.U. over election results
  • Date: 30th June 2008
  • Summary: (BN12) SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPT (JUNE 29, 2008) (REUTERS) CONFERENCE HALL LEADERS SEATED/ ETHIOPIAN PRIME MINISTER, MELES ZENAWI AND EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK CLOSE UP OF MUBARAK AFRICAN LEADERS ZENAWI SPEAKING SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI HEAD OF KENYAN DELEGATION PRESIDENT OF BENIN, YAYI BONI AND ALGERIAN PRESIDENT ABDELAZIZ BOUTEFLIKA HEAD OF MOZAMBIQUE DE
  • Embargoed: 15th July 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA3HPC0W9MAYZ3686RK63DCEAUS
  • Story Text: Zimbabwe's opposition has appealed to the African Union not to recognise the results of the disputed presidential elections.
    African heads of state began meeting in Egypt on Sunday (June 29), the day before an African Summit which has been overshadowed by the Zimbabwean elections in which Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was the only candidate and which African observers said was scarred by violence and intimidation.
    Mugabe, was sworn in on Sunday and has said he will fly to the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh where the summit is being held.
    The leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew a week ago saying a systematic campaign of violence, which killed nearly 90 of his followers, made a free and fair vote impossible.
    In Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday, MDC Vice President Thokozani Khupe said the elections were illegitimate.

    "You know this is just a joke, it's a farce, because during the 29th March election it took them about two months to release the results. And now just barely after a day, you know, they are saying they are going to be announcing results. For me it is ridiculous and it is almost impossible,"
    she said.
    Khupe called upon the African Union to recognise the results of the March 29th elections in Zimbabwe in which MDC candidate Tsvangirai received more votes than Mugabe, but not enough to win outright.
    The MDC Vice President also said Mugabe's violent suppression of his opponents required the intervention of AU peacekeepers.

    "As the MDC we hope that the African Union is going to realise that there is need for quick intervention in the Zimbabwean crisis and that they will send peacekeepers as a matter of urgency to Zimbabwe since the situation is volatile and that they will appoint a special envoy which is going to assist President Mbeki in the mediation," she said.
    Mugabe, who was due to attend the AU meeting where he says he will confront his African critics, has said he was committed to talking to the opposition to solve the country's political crisis.
    Senior African officials meeting at the summit's preparatory meetings have criticised the elections and called for the formation of a unity government in Zimbabwe.
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