QUOTE
Harare - Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party and the opposition MDC are believed to be discussing whether President Robert Mugabe should resign after last Saturday's election, a United States official said on Tuesday.
A State Department official said the talks followed projections showing Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai would beat Mugabe in the election but fall short of the 51 percent voted needed to avoid a runoff.
"I know that there are supposedly at various levels... discussions between representatives of the opposition and representatives of the government," the State Department official said.
"I know there were discussions that were going on but we will see what happens and when it happens," he added.
But MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti strongly denied persistent media reports, some citing MDC sources, saying the opposition was in talks on a Mugabe exit.
"I have answered that question a hundred times. I am sick and tired of answering that question. It's rubbish, absolute rubbish," he said.
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 but faced an unprecedented challenge in the elections because of a two-pronged opposition attack and the economic collapse of his once prosperous country, which has reduced much of the population to misery. A senior Western diplomat in Harare told Reuters the international community was discussing ideas to try to persuade Mugabe to step down. "But I don't think there is anything firm on the table."
Talks "exploratory"
The diplomat said the aim was to persuade Mugabe to concede defeat and avoid a runoff in three weeks. "A lot about what is being said is very speculative, based on conjecture. What I know is that there are a number of ideas being floated around in the international community to try to persuade Mugabe to go," he said.
"At the most, if there is anything going on right now, it would be very exploratory, people probing for opportunities."
Two Zanu-PF party sources said on Tuesday its projections showed Tsvangirai getting 48.3 percent, against Mugabe's 43 percent, with former finance minister Simba Makoni taking eight percent.
Independent election monitors projected a similar outcome.
The New York Times Website earlier reported Mugabe's advisers were negotiating his resignation with the MDC because Mugabe considered the prospect of a runoff demeaning. The opposition and international observers said Mugabe rigged the last presidential election in 2002. But some analysts say the groundswell of discontent over an economy in freefall is too great for him to fix the result this time without risking major unrest.
Zimbabweans are suffering the world's highest inflation of more than 100 000 percent, food and fuel shortages, and an HIV and Aids epidemic that has contributed to a steep decline in life expectancy.
No official results have yet emerged on Saturday's presidential poll. The opposition charges that the delay veils attempts by Mugabe to hang on to power by rigging the vote.
A State Department official said the talks followed projections showing Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai would beat Mugabe in the election but fall short of the 51 percent voted needed to avoid a runoff.
"I know that there are supposedly at various levels... discussions between representatives of the opposition and representatives of the government," the State Department official said.
"I know there were discussions that were going on but we will see what happens and when it happens," he added.
But MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti strongly denied persistent media reports, some citing MDC sources, saying the opposition was in talks on a Mugabe exit.
"I have answered that question a hundred times. I am sick and tired of answering that question. It's rubbish, absolute rubbish," he said.
Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980 but faced an unprecedented challenge in the elections because of a two-pronged opposition attack and the economic collapse of his once prosperous country, which has reduced much of the population to misery. A senior Western diplomat in Harare told Reuters the international community was discussing ideas to try to persuade Mugabe to step down. "But I don't think there is anything firm on the table."
Talks "exploratory"
The diplomat said the aim was to persuade Mugabe to concede defeat and avoid a runoff in three weeks. "A lot about what is being said is very speculative, based on conjecture. What I know is that there are a number of ideas being floated around in the international community to try to persuade Mugabe to go," he said.
"At the most, if there is anything going on right now, it would be very exploratory, people probing for opportunities."
Two Zanu-PF party sources said on Tuesday its projections showed Tsvangirai getting 48.3 percent, against Mugabe's 43 percent, with former finance minister Simba Makoni taking eight percent.
Independent election monitors projected a similar outcome.
The New York Times Website earlier reported Mugabe's advisers were negotiating his resignation with the MDC because Mugabe considered the prospect of a runoff demeaning. The opposition and international observers said Mugabe rigged the last presidential election in 2002. But some analysts say the groundswell of discontent over an economy in freefall is too great for him to fix the result this time without risking major unrest.
Zimbabweans are suffering the world's highest inflation of more than 100 000 percent, food and fuel shortages, and an HIV and Aids epidemic that has contributed to a steep decline in life expectancy.
No official results have yet emerged on Saturday's presidential poll. The opposition charges that the delay veils attempts by Mugabe to hang on to power by rigging the vote.
Source
Well, from the looks of it, it seems as though Bob is on the way out. I hope so.
Just one issue though. How many African leaders have not came into power, only to go on and mess things up for their people?
Bob fought for the liberation of Zimbabwe. Promised to make a better life for the Zim nation. Asked the white farmers to stick around and help build the nation, but we know how all that turned out.
Amin also is another example of an African leader who failed his nation.
The ANC government has also also failed the poor imo.
If the MDC does come into power, I sure hope that it will be a true case of things getting better for the people.
him 
