Violence precludes Zim run-off, says election observer

A presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe cannot take place given the current levels of violence, the head of a South African contingent of regional election observers said on Wednesday. "We have seen it, there are people in hospital who said they have been tortured, you have seen pictures," Kingsley Mamabolo told reporters.

African ministers meet Mugabe over political crisis

A high-ranking delegation of Southern African ministers met Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe on Wednesday to discuss the country's political impasse ahead of a pending presidential run-off, state media reported. The delegation was headed by Angolan Foreign Minister Jose Joao Bernardo Miranda.

Zim parties challenge results

Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have contested half the results of the March 29 parliamentary election, state media said on Wednesday, extending a stalemate that has triggered widespread violence.

Zim observers question presidential results

An independent Zimbabwean election monitoring group expressed doubt on Tuesday over the credibility of the results of the presidential election and accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of attacking observers. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network was the first observer group to publicly question the results.

MDC says 24 killed as SA probes poll violence

Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Tuesday that four more of its members had been killed by supporters of President Robert Mugabe in nearly a month of post-election violence that is being investigated by South African officials.

UN chief alarmed at reports of rising violence in Zim

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday expressed alarm at reports of rising violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe and said he was consulting with African leaders on how to help resolve the country's election crisis. "I am deeply concerned at reports of rising levels of violence and intimidation" in Zimbabwe, he told reporters.

Zim opposition in election run-off debate

Zimbabwe's opposition on Monday mulled whether to contest a presidential election run-off after winning the first round as President Robert Mugabe's camp began gearing up for the ballot. "We are still putting things together and when we are ready, we will get the press informed," George Sibotshiwe, a spokesperson for opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, said.

MDC divided over boycott of poll re-run

After a day of top level meetings, Zimbabwe's main opposition party on Saturday failed to make a decision on whether it will take part in presidential run-off elections scheduled for next month. Observers now fear that there is a fierce dispute within the Movement for Democratic Change over whether to boycott the second round of voting that was announced on Friday.

Election body confirms Mugabe lost the vote

Zimbabwe's election commission on Friday confirmed that President Robert Mugabe lost the election held five weeks ago but that his opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, fell below the 50% of the vote required to avoid a run-off ballot between the two later this month.

Zim announces election run-off

Zimbabwe's opposition leader defeated President Robert Mugabe in the presidential election but faces a run-off vote after he failed to win an outright majority, the electoral body said on Friday. Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai won 47,9% of the vote on March 29 and Mugabe took 43,2%, said the chief elections officer.

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