Zimbabwe

Mugabe confident of winning vote on Friday

Article published on the 2008-06-26 Latest update 2008-06-27 12:45 TU

Supporters chant in front of a poster of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
(Credit: Reuters)

In his last campaign speech Thursday, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe remained confident he would win Friday's presidential election, amid international calls to postpone the ballot, branded a sham after the opposition leader withdrew from the race. He told supporters at the rally outside Harare in that he would be willing to sit and negotiate with the opposition after his win.

"Should we emerge victorious, which I believe we will, sure we won't be arrogant, we shall be magnanimous and say 'let's sit down and talk' and talk we shall," he said.

Mugabe is pushing ahead with tomorrow's polls in spite of the latest condemnation by 27 UN human rights experts Thursday who said that elections should not take place as long as conditions for free participation of citizens in the electoral process was lacking.

Harare correspondent Ryan Truscott gave his take on the eve of the elections in Zimbabwe.