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Secretary-General meets with Zimbabwean opposition leader over election crisis

Secretary-General meets with Zimbabwean opposition leader over election crisis

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has held talks today with Zimbabwean opposition leader and presidential contender Morgan Tsvangirai over the protracted post-election crisis in the Southern African country.

Mr. Ban and Mr. Tsvangirai met for half an hour in Accra, Ghana, at the request of the opposition figure, the Secretary-General told journalists after the tête-à-tête.

Mr. Tsvangirai complained about the deadlock in Zimbabwe, where the results of the presidential poll held on 29 March have still not been released, and the deterioration of the country’s humanitarian and political situation.

“He told me that the military had been deployed around the country terrorizing people, and therefore many people had been running away from their homes and hiding somewhere, which had in turn created a very serious humanitarian situation,” Mr. Ban said.

The Secretary-General added that Mr. Tsvangirai – who represents the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) – also appealed to the UN and the African Union to intervene as he feels there has been no progress with the Southern African Development Community, which held a summit on the crisis earlier this month.

“Upon hearing his complaint and briefing on the situation, I have expressed my deep concern about the post-electoral situation… I also expressed my deep concern about this continuing situation, where violence and polarization have now been prevalent, and I asked him to resort to peaceful means to resolve this issue, through dialogue.”

Mr. Ban also said he would now consult the leadership of the AU on possible ways forward.

Zimbabwe’s electoral authorities have already announced the results of the parliamentary elections that were held on the same day as the presidential poll, in which the incumbent Robert Mugabe was challenged by Mr. Tsvangirai.