Zimbabwe

Mugabe sworn in, MDC declares result a joke

Article published on the 2008-06-29 Latest update 2008-06-29 16:24 TU

Robert Mugabe
(Photo: AFP)

Robert Mugabe was sworn in as President of Zimbabwe on Sunday afternoon, after the country's election commission declared him the winner of a controversial run-off in which he was the only candidate. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) declared the result "an absolute joke".

The 84-year-old former liberation struggle leader began his sixth term as president of the country he has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980.

The election commission earlier declared that he won 2,150,269 votes against 233,000 for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who boycotted the election but whose name appeared on ballot papers.

Turnout was put at 42.37 per cent , with 131,481 ballot papers rejected.

"This is an unbelievable joke and act of desperation on the part of the regime," the MDC's chief spokesperson Nelson Chamisa told the French news agency AFP. "It qualifies for the Guinness Book of Records as joke of the year."

Tsvangirai rejected an invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony. Mugabe has said he is ready to talk to the opposition and some African leaders have proposed a coalition government to end the crisis which has hit the country.

Many countries, with the US and Britian the mos vocal, have declared the election has no credibility, because of reports of large-scale violence and intimidation of the opposition.

Mugabe is due to go to the African Union summit in Egypt later today or tomorrow.