WORLD> Africa
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WORLD> Africa
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African leaders to hold emergency talks on Zimbabwe
(Reuters)
Updated: 2008-06-25 16:04 Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change won a parallel parliamentary election in March, sending Mugabe's ZANU-PF party to its first defeat since independence from Britain in 1980. Both Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and the leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress said Friday's election must be postponed after Tsvangirai's withdrawal. Zuma, who rivals Mbeki as South Africa's most powerful man, called for urgent intervention by the United Nations and SADC, saying the situation in Zimbabwe was out of control. South Africa under Mbeki has been an advocate of "quiet diplomacy" with Mugabe and has resisted calls to use its powerful economic leverage over landlocked Zimbabwe. But Zuma, who toppled Mbeki as ANC leader last December, has become increasingly outspoken over Mugabe. On Tuesday, Mugabe dismissed the pressure and told a rally in western Zimbabwe that Friday's election would go ahead. "The West can scream all it wants. Elections will go on. Those who want to recognise our legitimacy can do so, those who don't want, should not," said Mugabe. |
