Robert Mugabe has vowed to go ahead with Friday's presidential run-off despite opponent Morgan Tsvangirai withdrawing from the race. The regime has chosen to ignore regional and international pleas to postpone the election to a later date because of the state sponsored violence against MDC supporters.Zimbabwe's Air Vice-Marshall, Henry Muchena, told a meeting of Zanu-PF supporters at Ruvimbo primary school in Mbizvo, KweKwe on Wednesday that he would personally send the army to deal with 'sellouts' who do not vote on Friday.
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International rejection of Friday's run-off is mounting each day, with the United States and almost all European countries saying they will not recognise the result. Former South African President Nelson Mandela on Wednesday broke his silence on the crisis to castigate the 'tragic failure of leadership' in the country. US President George W. Bush last night called the run-off a 'sham'. South Africa's ruling ANC which, in contrast to President Thabo Mbeki has been severely critical of Mugabe, said it was not too late to call off the vote.
Their spokeswoman Jesse Duarte said the ANC is convinced that it is not too late for Mugabe to cancel the election and lead the country in dialogue that will be for the good of all Zimbabweans.
SADC's organ on Defence and Security, the Troika, also called for a postponement of the poll, saying the outcome will not be credible. But divisions in the region were laid bare when Mbeki declined to attend their meeting. Nonetheless, a growing number of African leaders, including Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, have criticised the state-orchestrated violence against Zanu-PF opponents. The European Union on Thursday also backed the SADC Troika's call to postpone the run-off, saying the results of the poll would not reflect the will of the people. In a statement, EU president Slovenia also expressed concern about violence that has dogged campaigning for Friday's election, which the SADC wants delayed.
The statement said harassment of the opposition and the campaign of violence in the country have led to Morgan Tsvangirai's decision to withdraw from the second round of the presidential elections. 'These circumstances cannot credibly lead to a result that reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people. Therefore, the presidency expresses its full support to the SADC call for the postponement of the second round of the elections,' the statement added.