Robert Mugabe looked to a seventh term in power in Zimbabwe after winning elections denounced by the opposition as “stolen” and criticised by Western powers.

ZIMBABWE’s MDC party, shocked by its overwhelming election defeat, has a battle on its hands to convince supporters it has any chance of taking power in the years to come.

The 12.75m residents of Zimbabwe edged ever closer to a crisis point yesterday after Robert Mugabe dismissed allegations of fraud in the country’s presidential election.