Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe, certain of a sweeping victory after a
one-man election, is expected to be sworn in today, government
sources said.
The expected swift swearing-in after Friday’s sham run-off vote
contrasts sharply with the five-week delay in releasing results from
the first round of the presidential election on March 29.
Government sources say Mugabe would definitely sworn in today.
“The inauguration is this morning. It should be today to prevent a
vacuum in the presidency” said the source.
She added, “We have been told to be on standby for the swearing-in
and soon after we will go to Egypt,”
Its was not clear this morning whether other world leaders would be
in attendance cdane but Thabo Mbeki of South Africa is rumored to be
willing to jet in.
Roads leading to State House, Mugabe’s official residence have been
blocked and tents were already being set up for the ceremony.
Mugabe’s first major task as president would be to confront his
critics at the summit in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
Friday’s run-off went ahead with Mugabe as the only candidate after
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of the race, saying
violence against his supporters had made a fair vote impossible.
Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in the March first round, but official vote
totals released five weeks afterward showed him just short of an
outright majority.
The opposition leader claimed he crossed the 50-percent threshold in
the first round and initially agreed to participate in the run-off
only under protest.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu suffered a bloody
political nose when Samuel Sandla Khumalo beat him by 3 795 to 1 354
votes.
MDC Tsvangirai now has 100 MPs in parliament to Zanu PF’s 97. Ten
other seats are held by MDC-Mutambara and one by Professor Jonathan Moyo an independent.
