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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Mugabe ready to step down after losing presidential election |
| 2008-04-02 |
| Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe is ready to step down after he accepted defeat in the country’s presidential election, a senior source in the ruling party and diplomats told AFP on Tuesday. An official in Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party said the long-ruling president was prepared to step down, but was still trying to win agreement from the army’s chief of staff Constantine Chiwenga. “He is prepared to step down because he doesn’t want to embarrass himself by going to a run-off,” the source said on condition of anonymity. “There is only one person still blocking him, the army chief of staff.” Deal reached: Two senior diplomats in the capital, Harare, meanwhile confirmed that a deal had been reached for Mugabe to step aside, in favour of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. “Everything indicates that Mugabe will leave power smoothly,” said one of the sources. |
| Posted by:Fred |