Breaking News Forum - Zimbabwe's Mugabe sworn in after discredited vote

NF Reporter · 06-29-2008, 07:49 PM

AP - Zimbabwe's longtime ruler Robert Mugabe was sworn in as president for a sixth term Sunday after a widely discredited runoff in which he was the only candidate. His main rival dismissed the inauguration as "an exercise in self-delusion."

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waltky · 07-01-2008, 11:36 PM

Cut off their foreign aid, let them hang...

Mugabe Spokesman: West "Can Go Hang"
July 1, 2008 - Zimbabwe's President Remains Defiant; Spokesman Flatly Denies Any Chance Of Power-Sharing

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President Robert Mugabe's spokesman spoke defiantly Tuesday at a summit of the Zimbabwe leader's peers, dismissing Western criticism that the longtime statesman should be pressured into stepping down. "They can go hang. They can go and hang a thousand times," Mugabe spokesman George Charamba said in response to Western pressure.

The United States, Britain and other European countries have widely condemned Mugabe's runoff victory in which he was the sole candidate, calling the vote a sham.

But at the African Union summit in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik, African leaders have been unwilling to publicly criticize Mugabe, and instead are gently pushing behind the scenes that he accept some sort of power-sharing agreement with Zimbabwe's opposition.

Charamba, however, sounded resistant to proposals about sharing power. Some African leaders have expressed frustration that more was not being done to pressure Mugabe. Charamba denied to reporters that Mugabe would relinquish any power.

More Mugabe Spokesman: West "Can Go Hang", Zimbabwe's President Remains Defiant; Spokesman Flatly Denies Any Chance Of Power-Sharing - CBS News

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Mugabe Hears Little Rebuke From Neighbors
June 30, 2008 - Zimbabwe's President Attends African Union Summit Day After Being Sworn In After Dubious Re-Election

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Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe joined an African summit Monday looking for a boost of political legitimacy after a re-election condemned by world leaders. His fellow African leaders appeared unlikely to strongly criticize him, hoping to quietly find a resolution to the crisis.

The African Union summit got under way in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheik a day after Mugabe was sworn in as president for a sixth term after a widely discredited runoff in which he was the only candidate. His main rival has dismissed the inauguration as "an exercise in self-delusion," and many world leaders have called the runoff a sham.

Though Zimbabwe was expected to be one of the main focuses of the AU summit, African leaders were not expected to publicly denounce Mugabe and instead gently urge him to engage in some sort of power-sharing agreement.

A draft resolution written by AU foreign ministers during two days of talks before the summit did not criticize the runoff election or Mugabe. The draft, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, condemned violence in general terms and called for dialogue.

More Mugabe Hears Little Rebuke From Neighbors, Zimbabwe's President Attends African Union Summit Day After Being Sworn In After Dubious Re-Election - CBS News

waltky · 07-13-2008, 01:02 AM

I seriously doubt that other than Mugabe's cronies, the people of Zimbabwe are rejoicing...

Zimbabwe regime rejoices as West licks wounds
Sunday, July 13, 2008 - Zimbabwe's government rejoiced Saturday at the failure of a U.N. bid to impose fresh sanctions on President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle, but there was exasperation in London and Washington.

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Particular praise from the Harare regime was bestowed upon South African President Thabo Mbeki, who has been criticized for his policy of "quiet diplomacy" by those who want to put Mugabe under greater pressure. "We would like to thank countries that supported us at the United Nations and we would like to tell them that we will not disappoint them as we will address our problems ourselves," Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said.

"We would like to thank President Thabo Mbeki, who is a leader par excellence as he has not yielded to international pressure and to the machinations of the West led by Britain and United States," Ndlovu told AFP. China and Russia on Friday vetoed the U.S. draft resolution that would have imposed an arms embargo on Zimbabwe as well as an assets freeze and travel ban on Mugabe and 13 of his closest allies. South Africa, Libya and Vietnam voted against the resolution, while Indonesia abstained.

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the decision would be "incomprehensible" to the people of Zimbabwe and America's U.N. envoy warned that Russia's veto cast doubt on its reliability as a G-8 ally. Russian later slammed this criticism as "unacceptable." Mugabe was re-elected in a run-off last month after the main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out, citing a campaign of intimidation and violence against his supporters that killed dozens and injured thousands.

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Russia blasts U.S., UK over Zimbabwe vote
July 12, 2008 -- Russia vents anger over comments made by U.S. and British officials; They had voiced astonishment over veto of Zimbabwe sanctions; China, Russia vetoed resolution that would have meant sanctions for Mugabe

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Russia has reacted angrily to comments made by U.S. and British officials who criticized Moscow's veto of U.N. sanctions against Zimbabwe. Officials in the United States and Britain were quick to exclaim their surprise over Friday's veto by Russia and China on sanctions. The U.S.-led sanctions were aimed at punishing Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe's deadly crackdown on the opposition Move for Democratic Change during and after the presidential election. The Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement Saturday said the criticism "places a question mark over the worthiness of Russia as a G-8 partner," The Associated Press reported.

It added that the possibility of U.N. sanctions on Zimbabwe was excluded at a recent G-8 summit in Japan. Russia said it believed the sanctions would set a precedent for U.N. meddling, AP reported. The sanctions would have been imposed on Mugabe and 11 senior members of his government. According to a draft of the resolution, the measure would have instituted a travel ban, frozen many of their assets and imposed an international arms embargo on the regime. The measure received nine votes -- the minimum for it to pass. However, two of the five negative votes were from Russia and China, who as permanent members of the Security Council have veto power.

Meanwhile, Britain said Saturday that it had not ruled out a renewed attempt to get a Security Council resolution if efforts to deliver a mediated settlement failed to make progress. "It is disappointing that the Security Council failed to stand up for the democratic rights of Zimbabweans. But it was right to push for a tough Security Council resolution, and those who stood in its way must now take responsibility for the failure of the Security Council to act," a Downing St spokesman told the British Press Association. "We will continue to stand firmly for human rights and democracy, and will return to the Security Council in the absence of early progress on mediation, humanitarian access and an end to violence. This is not the outcome we sought, but we have other options."

Russia blasts U.S., UK over Zimbabwe vote - CNN.com

waltky · 07-24-2008, 12:22 AM

Mugabe still usin' violence, intimidation to hold power...

Political Violence, Intimidation Continue in Zimbabwe
23 July 2008 - Although Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has agreed to talks with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change on a possible power sharing arrangement, the country's political violence and intimidation continue.

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Several legislators, who have returned to Harare from hiding places in Zimbabwe and in neighboring countries, say the mood in the country is tense. They say they dare not go to their homes for fear of being arrested. About 20 winning MDC legislators have been arrested since the elections in March. One legislator from the eastern Manicaland Province, who spent three weeks in detention recently and asked not to be identified, said members of the ZANU-PF militia are asking for money from people who fled during post-election violence and now want to return home. He said those who have returned have found their assets, such as food and livestock, were taken after the elections.

A parliament member from the Mashonaland East Province, a ZANU-PF stronghold where many voted for the first time for the MDC - said militias still control people's movements in and out of villages. An MDC legislator in Mutare, Pishai Muchauraya, said his officials are searching for many people listed as missing. MDC branch chairman Reuben Mutewe, 38, from Manicaland Province, who was abducted from his home June 30, was found in the mortuary at the Mutare General Hospital last Friday. Muchauraya says they have still not found the body of activist Emmanuel Nyapfungwe, who he says was allegedly murdered June 20 in Manicaland Province.

Meanwhile, farm invasions continue, particularly in the Manicaland province where six white families and their workers were forced to abandon their homes last week. The agreement signed by ZANU-PF and MDC says the violence is to be discussed during their talks in South Africa. Another point for negotiations is the resumption of humanitarian aid, banned June 4 by one of ZANU-PF's two negotiators, Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche. The government has started to sell food aid to those in need at bargain prices. But the Combined Harare Residents' Association said only ZANU-PF members are being given access. The association said many Harare residents are at the point of starvation.

VOA News - Political Violence, Intimidation Continue in Zimbabwe

waltky · 08-28-2008, 01:30 AM

Dealin' MDC out...

Mugabe 'to form government alone'
Wednesday, 27 August 2008 - Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe says he will form a government without the opposition, state media reports.

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"The MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) does not want to come in apparently," he is quoted as saying. The BBC's Karen Allen says such a move would be the death-knell for the South African-brokered talks to end the post-election crisis. Meanwhile, three MDC MPs were arrested on Tuesday when parliament was opened.

Two other opposition MPs had been arrested the day before, although one was later released. "MDC views this continued harassment and arrest of MDC legislators by the state security agents as a direct affront to the will of the people of Zimbabwe," the party said in a statement. The police have said the arrests were in connection with rape, attempted murder and political violence.

Annoyed

Our correspondent in Johannesburg says Mr Mugabe was speaking in bullish mood about forming a government alone, after being booed and jeered by opposition MPs at the formal opening of parliament on Tuesday. "We remain committed to a dialogue process that is going to produce an acceptable outcome for all the players" - MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa

More BBC NEWS | Africa | Mugabe 'to form government alone'