SW Radio Africa (London)
Lance Guma
28 June 2008
Preparations for Robert Mugabe's swearing in ceremony Sunday were said to be underway at State House on Saturday even before results from the 'one-man election' were released.
Government sources who spoke to the AFP news agency confirmed that the inauguration would be held at 10am on Sunday before Mugabe left the country for the African Union summit in Cairo, Egypt. The source said tents were already being set up for the ceremony in the clearest signal that Friday's vote was a mere formality.
Mugabe vowed he was going to confront any African countries that will dare to point a finger at Zimbabwe during the summit. This was interpreted to mean he might try and hide behind the poor human rights records of other countries like Sudan.
Analysts however say he is standing on his last legs after his own peers in SADC rejected the poll as a sham. Other African countries outside SADC have also branded the election an embarrassment, adding to Mugabe's legitimacy woes.
As results trickled in from some of the polling stations a clear picture is emerging of many people spoiling their ballot papers in protest. A polling station in Highfields recorded 266 votes for Mugabe, 184 for Tsvangirai while 150 votes were spoiled. The pattern repeated itself countrywide especially in opposition strongholds.
Meanwhile the United States is planning to put forward a UN resolution on Monday calling for tough action against Mugabe's regime. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US and Britain will present the resolution. Rice said, 'Its time for the international community to act. It's hard to imagine that anybody could fail to act given what we're all watching on the ground in Zimbabwe.'
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Not by a long shot! mugabe prepares for it before the result because as he and the world knows, he rigged it. Mugabe and his regime will be out in the near future and this i can promise you. Very funny that mugabe is now just a puppet with the army and police chiefs firmly having there hands up the end that does not shine.He is that much a puppet for them i wonder if he is actually still alive or if he has under gone taxidermy so there hand up his you know what makes his mouth move and… [Read Full Text]
"The world knows" only the lies that have been created by western propaganda. BTW, you're in no position to promise anything to anybody, as you know the West (the real one, not some pseudonym) have been trying to overthrow Mr. Mugabe since he started his land reform program around 2000.
OK - I'm from the "West" and have no economic, family or social ties to Zimbabwe, so lets talk about lies......
Here's the first of several "lies", the "Sanctions" constantly being bleated about by Mugabe and his "flock" of ZANU-PF cronies are directed at a total of 130 people..... Is Zimbabwe's economy so weak that it cannot provide for it's people when only 130 of them are targeted by such "Sanctions"? Only if the 130 ZANU-PF cronies control ALL of Zimbabwe's economy...... if a country cannot withstand economic "sanctions" and travel restrictions against only 130 of their citizens,… [Read Full Text]
People like Mugabe, actually make us ashamed to be Africans. I am disgusted with African politics and the ostentatious African leaders including the west. At 84 Mugabe should be counting his days on earth. If he survives another 2 years in power, they'll have to be changing his diapers every hour. Shame.
The world knows for sure that elections are over. UN secretariat expresses deep regret; Security Council says Tsvangirai has no legitimacy to be recognised. AU says Mugabe is legitimate up till next elections. The world condemns violence as tool to gain political mileage and agree that Mugabe has that authority (legitimacy) through violent intimidations, no one is disputing that Mugabe has power now according to the laws of the country. Political leadership is gained by many ways; wars, violent topples, elections, appointments, coercion, pressure and bullying, anointment, accidents, aggressions, oppressions, etc. Queen Liz of England has global political… [Read Full Text]
This same news outlet celebrated with Tsvangirai when he had the birthday cake resembling state house before results were announced in 2002.
you can put as much spin on events as you like, however, the fact of the matter is that Morgan Tsvangerai won more votes than Robert Mugabe in the last election that the two actually contested. The fact that Mugabe's thugs killed and maimed dozens, if not hundreds, of people and as a result of the escalating violence Tsvangerai felt himself compelled to withdraw from the run-off, does not alter this situation.
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Elections are over in Zim and please get some sleep. The regime change crusade has been defeated this time for good.