Mbeki meets Mugabe before summit

Mandisa Mundawarara
April 12th 2008

As regional Southern Africa leaders were gathering in Zambia on Saturday for an emergency summit to discuss the election crisis in Zimbabwe, South African President Thabo Mbeki flew in to Harare to meet Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe said he is boycotting the summit that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is attending because there was "no crisis in Zimbabwe." Mugabe will instead be represented at the summit by Bright Matonga, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Patrick Chinamasa and Simbarashe Mumbengegwi.

Pressure is mounting on regional leaders to take a tougher stance on the octogenarian ZANU-PF leader. Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, called for the emergency summit to try to resolve the situation in Zimbabwe where the Mugabe regime is refusing to release the results of the presidential elections held two weeks ago. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Saturday's regional meeting was, "an historic moment for SADC and a defining moment for Africa."

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the patience of the international community over Mugabe's refusal to release the election results was 'wearing thin.' He warned that he is 'appalled' at the latest developments in Zimbabwe and that the world's patience with Mugabe is fast running out.
On Friday Zimbabwe's police banned political rallies with immediate effect amid growing tension over the withheld election results. The MDC has called for a general strike to start on Tuesday and to continue until presidential results are out.

Amnesty International has reported widespread violence against opposition supporters since the election, in what the MDC claims is an attempt by Mugabe to subdue the population ahead of a possible runoff.