Zimbabwe

Bush announces new sanctions, AU puts off poll judgement

Article published on the 2008-06-28 Latest update 2008-06-29 08:38 TU

Presidential election results posted in Budiriro, Harare
(Photo: Reuters)

US President George Bush Saturday announced new sanctions against Zimbabwe, describing Robert Mugabe's government as "illegitimate". But the African Union executive council made no public statement on Friday's one-candidate second round which brought a controversial and violent presidential election campaign to an end.

Bush said that he had asked for more action against the government in Harare, because of its "blatant disregard for the Zimbabwean people's democratic will and human rights".

Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice, on a trip to South Korea, said that there had been "widespread intimidation" in the vote, in which only Mugabe stood following the withdrawal of opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai.

A group of MPs from African countries Sunday called for a new election. Marwick Khumalo, head of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) mission, said his team of around 50 observers concluded that "the atmosphere prevailing in the country did not give rise to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections".

But the African Union executive council, meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, sidestepped a decision on Saturday, leaving a public statement either to Sunday's meeting of the Peace and Security Council or to the heads of state meeting on Monday.

"I think we will see a response from the AU at the end of ths summit," Kenneth Miisi of the African Institute of Security Studies told RFI. "And not necessarily hearing any major statements after the Peace and Security Council."

South Africa blocked a move at the UN Security Council to declare the vote illegitimate, arguing that the body has no mandate to validate elections.

Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) described the move as "complicity of the theft of democracy".

The official Zimbabwean newspaper, The Herald, declared that turnout had been "massive" and officials expect a result to be announced on Sunday.