Zimbabwe election - Result must be honoured

THOUGH only a trickle of official results have emerged from last Saturday’s election in Zimbabwe fears are growing that President Robert Mugabe is planning a massive election fraud to cling to power.

If that is the case it has the potential to lead to massive civil unrest and even loss of life in that unfortunate country. These fears are compounded by the pre-election statements from the country’s security chiefs who said that they would not accept an opposition victory.

Mugabe is 84 and his presidency, and his inner circle, have been discredited for many years. They stand accused of corruption, violence towards opponents and disregarding the results of the 2002 election.

Zimbabwe, once a prosperous country, is enduring chronic shortages of food and fuel and is in the grip of an HIV/Aids epidemic. If it is to have any hope of resolving its social and political difficulties the results of the election will have to be accepted by all sides. If that means the end of Mugabe’s time in power, it may not be a minute too soon.