Defiant Mugabe stands ground against critics

Prospects for a peaceful deal between Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe and his top opponent appeared to grow more distant despite efforts by African leaders at a summit in Egypt.

Mr Mugabe’s spokesman defiantly said the longtime ruler has no plans to step down and told Western critics to “go hang”.

Some leaders had harsh words for Mr Mugabe in what appeared to be sharp exchanges in closed-door meetings at the African Union summit yesterday.

Botswana’s vice president said Mr Mugabe’s government should not be recognised and that Zimbabwe should be barred from AU gatherings.

“Botswana’s position, therefore, is that the outcome of these elections does not confer legitimacy on the government of President Mugabe,” Mompati Merafhe said, according to a copy of his statement given to journalists.

Mr Mugabe responded to the African criticism – which also came from Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – during the session, said Ismail Ndiye, a delegate from Senegal who was at the session.

“He had a lot to say,” Mr Ndiye said, but he would not elaborate.

Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki said Mr Mugabe spoke for a half hour and lashed out at some African countries who spoke out against him.

But pressure for the 84-year-old leader to loosen his grip on power did not appear to have an effect.

Mr Mugabe’s African peers are trying to persuade him to share power with his top rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, after last weekend’s run-off election in which Mr Mugabe declared victory but which has been widely dismissed as a sham.

Mr Tsvangirai dropped out of the race because of killings and beatings of his supporters.