ROBERT MUGABE is expected to rush out the results of Zimbabwe's widely condemned presidential elections so he can be inaugurated before he attends an African Union (AU) summit in Egypt next week, western diplomats said yesterday.
After a one-candidate election that appeared to have a low turnout, western diplomats said Mr Mugabe would want to attend as the formally re-elected head of state, where the reception he receives from regional leaders will be a measure of his isolation. Casting his vote in Harare, Mr Mugabe, who is 84 and has ruled his country for 28 years, said he was "very fit, very optimistic".
But in a sign of his growing isolation, the world's powers took more steps to condemn his regime. The European Union said the election was a "sham" and the US declared it would begin seeking fresh sanctions at the United Nations next week.
In Harare, Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, was again taking refuge inside the Dutch embassy. He said the election was "an exercise in mass intimidation, with people all over the country being forced to vote". He added: "Anyone who recognises the result of this election is denying the will of the Zimbabwean people." The next few days will test whether Mr Mugabe can consolidate power.
After a preliminary meeting of AU foreign ministers in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, yesterday, ahead of next week's summit, one said: "I don't think we are going to accept the result but we are still discussing."
Turnout was low in urban areas where Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is traditionally strong. But it was not clear how many voters went to the polls in rural districts that are difficult for independent journalists to visit.
State television denounced foreign media reports of a low turnout. It showed long queues in rural and semi-rural constituencies and said voters ignored appeals to abstain. The Zimbabwe Election Support Network, a monitoring group, said its observers reported that traditional leaders forced people to vote in most rural areas. It said the poll would not reflect the will of the people.
The network also reported militias and traditional leaders were noting the names of voters and asking for the serial numbers of their ballot papers as they left polling stations.
Mr Tsvangirai had urged people to abstain but said they should vote if they were in danger. Turnout was much lower in many areas than in parliamentary and presidential elections in March, when people queued from the early hours. Mr Tsvangirai won that poll but fell short of the majority needed for outright victory.
Mr Tsvangirai said he understood South African president Thabo Mbeki planned to recognise Mr Mugabe's re-election. But he said it would be a "dream" to expect his MDC to join a national unity government with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF.
Mr Mbeki, the designated regional mediator in Zimbabwe, has been widely criticised for a soft approach towards Mr Mugabe. - ( Financial Times service, Reuters)