Mbeki Meets Zimbabwe’s Political Leaders Over Political Crisis
May 10, 2008
South African President Thabo Mbeki held talks with President Robert Mugabe and opposition leaders on Friday to find a solution to Zimbabwe’s long-running crisis and establish a conducive atmosphere for the holding of a presidential election run-off threatened by political tensions.
The South African leader, who is also the official regional mediator in Zimbabwe’s political crisis, arrived at Harare International Airport around 10am (0800 GMT) and immediately went into talks with Mugabe at State House.
Mbeki is leading a diplomatic initiative to end a month-long Zimbabwe election stand-off triggered by disputed presidential poll results.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has refused to accept the election results announced last Friday by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, which showed that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai won 47.9 percent of the votes against Mugabe’s 43.2 percent.
Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has brushed aside criticism from the opposition and the West and is preparing for an expected run-off against Tsvangirai.
The MDC has accused the former guerrilla commander of unleashing loyal militias to help him rig victory in the runoff and allowing veterans of the country’s 1970s independence war to invade some farms, echoing a wave of land invasions that began in 2000.
The opposition said at least 25 of its supporters have been killed by pro-government militias since the polls took place on 29 March.
Source African Press Agency
MBEKI IS A WASTE AS A MEDIATOR. LETS FACE IT PEOPLE OF AFRICA THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR CLOSE TO DECADE WITHOUT A RESOLUTION. MANLY BECAUSE OF THIS MANS DRAGGING HIS FEET.