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Mugabe to talk to opposition after runoff results announced
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-29 09:40 He also said the AU observer mission would present a full report after the electoral process had been completed. Barrica said Mugabe assured them that there would be stakeholder meetings to chart the way forward for Zimbabwe.The Angolan Minister of Youth and Sport described the SADC troika meeting that slammed the run-off poll as "not helpful". Heads of State from Swaziland and Tanzania attended the meeting for the 14 member-SADC club. They passed a resolution saying the security situation in Zimbabwe was not conducive to hold peaceful polls.
Zimbabwe held the presidential run-off election on Friday as scheduled despite opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's withdrawal from the race. Tsvangirai, who had been expected to pit against ruling ZANU-PF candidate and incumbent President Mugabe in the run-off, withdrew from the election on Sunday, citing various reasons, including political violence. Tsvangirai on Tuesday submitted a withdrawal letter to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, formally quitting from the race. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said the withdrawal was of no legal effect because it was filed too late. Tsvangirai received 47.9 percent of the votes in the first round of election held on March 29, followed by Mugabe's 43.2 percent. An outright winner needs to obtain an absolute majority of the votes, otherwise a run-off needs to be held, according to Zimbabwe's law. |
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