Robert Mugabe

Tsvangirai Warns of a 'dark Day' As Zimbabwe Power-sharing Talks Fail
Mugabe refuses to relinquish control over key security ministries that rigged the election and suppressed opposition

African Leaders in New Attempt to Revive Zimbabwe Power-sharing Agreement
Move comes with both the president, Robert Mugabe, and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change unwilling to compromise

Zimbabwe Opposition Leader to Meet Mugabe for Power-sharing Talks
Tsvangirai says unity deal must be reached to prevent crisis-hit country from becoming a 'failed state'

Turn Screw on Mugabe, Us Urges
US calls on southern African governments to force President Robert Mugabe from power

Mugabe Turns 'assassin's Plot' Against Mdc
Zimbabwe government blames Movement for Democratic Change for failed assassination of head of air force

Key Mugabe Ally is Free to Live in London
Politicians express concerns government are not restricting the movement of Mugabe supporters

Mugabe Shows the Elders No Respect ... But Then, Would We?
Catherine Bennett: It's absurd to be shocked by one dictator's disdain for wise old heads when we often do the same to our elderly

Cholera Crisis is Over, Says Mugabe, As Disaster Area Declared in South Africa's Border Region
France condemn decision by Zimbabwe to refuse visas to team of specialists

Bodies Pile Up As Mugabe Wages War on Diamond Miners
Opposition Movement for Democratic Change says it has names of 140 people killed

Mugabe Must Be Toppled Now - Archbishop of York
John Sentamu calls for Zimbabwe's president to face trial for crimes against humanity

Army Cracks Down on Dissent After Anti-mugabe Rampage
Mugabe under renewed pressure as officers told to quell any sign of mutiny from troops who rioted over pay

Condoleezza Rice: South Africa Must Pressure Mugabe to Quit
The US secretary of state claims Robert Mugabe's power-sharing government has devastated Zimbabwe

Mugabe's Power Under Threat As Troops Riot Over Pay
Zimbabwean soldiers clash with Harare police as cash shortage worsens and cholera epidemic spreads

Why Doesn't Anyone Say: 'not in Britain'?
Nick Cohen: Mugabe is worse than Gordon Brown, but that does not excuse the assaults on the rights of Parliament and the freedom of the press

Controversial Ballet to Tell Mugabe's Story
Choreographer draws upon his personal experiences growing up in the then newly independent Zimbabwe

Millionaire Accused of Propping Up Mugabe
US treasury freezes tobacco trader's assets over allegations he provided logistical support for Zimbabwe regime

UK Denounces 'power Grab' As Mugabe Swears in New Deputies
Robert Mugabe reappoints former vice-presidents, defying power-sharing deal with Morgan Tsvangirai

Power Deal Crisis As Top Jobs Seized By Mugabe
Mugabe attempts 'ambush' by claiming all key cabinet posts and control of the state security forces

Power-sharing Deal in Trouble After Mugabe Demands All Ministries
Opposition says Mugabe wants to 'swallow' MDC while doubts expressed about Mbeki's role

Mugabe Demands Right to Appoint All Key Ministers
Power-sharing deal appears close to collapse as latest move leaves opposition toothless at helm of Zimbabwe

Robert Mugabe Hits Out at Uk and Us Over Sanctions
Zimbabwe president appeals to UN general assembly to bring pressure for immediate removal of restrictions

After Three Decades, Robert Mugabe Signs Away His Power - But Not All of It
Opposition vows to tackle economic chaos as compromise deal makes Tsvangirai prime minister

Mugabe is Now Poised to Sign His Own Political Death Warrant
The power-sharing deal Robert Mugabe is expected to sign with Tsvangirai will let him get away with murder

Mugabe Casts Doubt on Unity Deal As Mdc Factions Wrangle Over Portfolios
Tsvangirai expects to secure control over the police and intelligence agency

Robert Mugabe Profile
Mugabe's decision to push through forcible land seizures led to disaster for Zimbabwe's economy

Economic Realities That Forced Mugabe to Retreat
The devil will be in the detail when Zimbabwe's historic deal is signed after 28 years of violent rule

Mugabe Starts Forming Government Without Mdc Consent
Opposition says leader is 'arrogant and reckless' to address parliament before dialog is completed

Mugabe Trying to Bribe Opposition Mps to Join Government
Robert Mugabe is attempting to lure opposition members of parliament into a new government with promises of influence and wealth in a bid to legitimize his refusal to relinquish power

Outburst Makes Matters Worse
Simon Tisdall: Long-suppressed British anger over international community's failure to curb Mugabe bursts into the open

Despite Mugabe's Hatred of British Colonialism, the Road He Lives in is Still Named After My Grandfather
Alexander Chancellor: I don't like having even the most tenuous family association with a man who spends his time starving and murdering his people

In Defeat, in Denial
Leader: Allegedly 'in shock' over election results, Mugabe's government deliberates over how to keep the opposition from power

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Set to Keep Power Amid Rumours of Breakaway Deal
Opposition splinter group leader Arthur Mutambara denies claims that he will join a new administration

Mugabe Set to Keep Power Amid Rumours of Breakaway Deal
Leader of a breakaway opposition faction, Arthur Mutambara, denies he will join Zimbabwean president's new administration

Mugabe Hopes to Cling to Power By Agreeing Coalition Deal With Breakaway Mdc Faction
Zanu-PF leader claims coalition deal with breakaway MDC faction, excluding Morgan Tsvangirai

Zimbabwe Elections: Power-sharing Talks Between Mugabe and Tsvangirai Reach Critical Stage
Mugabe and Tsvangirai in make-or-break talks to decide how power will be distributed in coalition government

Mugabe Negotiators Fly Back to Zimbabwe After Power-sharing Talks
Party official says it is not clear whether negotiations were in recess or had broken down

Zimbabwe: Power Sharing Path Strewn With Danger
Even though Robert Mugabe looks vulnerable, the MDC will be wary of striking a power sharing deal

Mugabe and Tsvangirai Sign Deal to Hold Zimbabwe Power-sharing Talks
Rival leaders agree outline conditions for discussion as first step on road to establishing unity government

Zimbabwe: Mugabe Succumbs to Pressure and Starts Secret Talks With Opposition
President meets with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai to sign 'memorandum of understanding'

Zimbabwe Power-sharing Talks Edge Closer
Mbeki to push for Mugabe and Tsvangirai to thrash out deal

Outburst Makes Matters Worse
Simon Tisdall: Long-suppressed British anger over international community's failure to curb Mugabe bursts into the open

Scramble to Save Deal on Mugabe Sanctions
Brown to hold urgent talks with EU leaders in Paris today after UN vetoes

Exclusive: Secret Film Reveals How Mugabe Stole an Election
Film believed to be first footage of how Robert Mugabe's supporters rigged the elections in Zimbabwe has been smuggled out of the country by a prison officer

Britain Looks to Un to Squeeze Mugabe
Security council resolution on Zimbabwe arms embargo faces possible veto from Russia and China

UK is Sending 11,000 Mugabe Refugees Back
Zimbabweans who fled regime are being sent Home Office letters telling them to return

Cricket Bosses Fiddle While Mugabe Terrorises a Nation
If Robert Mugabe wanted cricket to make Zimbabwe 'a nation of gentlemen' then he chose the wrong sport, writes Kevin Mitchell

Mugabe: African Union Calls for National Unity Government in Zimbabwe
Summit stops short of directly criticizing Robert Mugabe or assigning mediators to help with the crisis

African Union Summit: Criticism Remains Muted As Defiant Mugabe Joins Discussion on Zimbabwe's Future
Robert Mugabe allowed to take a seat despite African election monitors' questions over legitimacy of leadership vote

Mugabe is Weakened, But He Still Won't Back Down
Simon Tisdall: Few leaders at the African Union summit will publicly back efforts to turn the Zimbabwean president into an international pariah

Mugabe Begins Sixth Term After Beatings, Intimidation and Murder Do Their Job
Violent campaign doubles votes in widely discredited poll, while international community prepares to step up sanctions

Tsvangirai's Indecision Exposes His Weakness
MDC leader watches helplessly from refuge in Dutch embassy as Mugabe extends his 28-year rule

Robert Mugabe Sworn in As Zimbabwe President
Leader declared winner after getting 85% of votes in discredited poll

Mugabe Rush to Be Sworn in After Claim of Poll 'landslide'
Re-elected president to face down critics at African Union summit after a poll conducted amid violence and threats

G8 Refuse to Accept Vote As African Union Leaders Fail to Agree Common Stance
United States threatens to push for UN sanctions against Mugabe's government but African reaction critical

Mugabe Claims He is 'open to Talks' After Poll
Zimbabwe's president offers to be 'magnanimous' in victory on eve of election derided as 'daylight robbery' by opposition

Despite Mugabe's Hatred of British Colonialism, the Road He Lives in is Still Named After My Grandfather
Alexander Chancellor: I don't like having even the most tenuous family association with a man who spends his time starving and murdering his people

A Tragic Failure of Leadership: Mandela's Verdict on Mugabe
Nelson Mandela condems political and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe in remarks made at London dinner

Foreign Office Revokes Mugabe Knighthood
Zimbabwean president stripped of honor awarded in 1994

Mugabe Defiant Despite Pressure
African leaders join international condemnation as pressure mounts for Mugabe to call off Friday's presidential election

'Mugabe Has Declared War and We Will Not Be Part of That War'
Tsvangirai withdraws his party from election saying to continue would cost supporters' lives

Pressure Builds on Un to Act Swiftly Against Mugabe
Russia and China urged by other permanent members of security council to join condem nation of Zanu regime

UK Names Clique of Six Men Behind 'campaign of Terror'
List topped by JOC's chairman, Mugabe's enforcer since their days as guerrilla leaders

The Fight Goes On, and Next Move is Mugabe's
Robert Mugabe has said that he regards this week's presidential run-off vote as a war

The Mdc Leader Has Survived Jail, Beatings and Attempts on His Life
Morgan Tsvangirai has suffered beatings and assassination attempts while battling to unseat Robert Mugabe

Tsvangirai Pulls Out of 'sham' Zimbabwe Election
Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has pulled out of the presidential run-off against Robert Mugabe saying he will no longer participate in "this violent, illegitimate sham of an election process"

Mugabe Allies 'set Up' Political Terror
Secret documents reveal meticulous planning of pre-election violence and voter intimidation

Mugabe's Men Bring Rape and Torture to Harare Suburbs
Zanu-PF shifts its campaign of violence against MDC supporters from rural areas to the capital

Robert Mugabe Claims Zimbabwe War Veterans Would Overthrow Mdc
Robert Mugabe warns of reprized bush war should he be defeated in run-off as world leaders call for end to intimidation

Mugabe: If I Lose the Poll, We Will Wage War
Thousands flee rural areas as regime steps up intimidation of voters before presidential run-off

Pressure on Opposition to Halt Poll and Share Power With Mugabe
Zimbabwe's opposition under intense political and violent pressure to agree to call off a second round of presidential elections

Mugabe Turns the Screw on Opposition
Tsvangirai banned from holding political rallies three weeks ahead of Zimbabwe's election re-run

Mugabe Suspends Foreign Aid Agencies' Work in Zimbabwe
· Ban comes after British and American diplomats were held at roadblock· President accuses foreign NGOs of campaigning for opposition

Mugabe Accused of Manipulating Aid
Poll harassment continues as opposition leader held and government orders halt to independent food relief

Mugabe Accused of Using Food As Political Weapon in Zimbabwe
Accusation of starving opponents comes after government orders agencies to stop feeding hundreds of thousands of people

'This is Like Inviting Pol Pot to a Human Rights Conference'
Robert Mugabe's appearance at a world food summit has drawn fierce criticism from the British government

Vote Mugabe or Else, Army Chief Tells His Soldiers
Chief-of-staff tells soldiers they will have to 'remove that uniform' if they do not vote for Mugabe in next month's run-off poll

Tsvangirai Ready to Take on Mugabe in Election Run-off
Zimbabwe opposition leader announces he will return from self-imposed exile in South Africa

Election Body Confirms Mugabe Lost the Vote
Commission says Tsvangirai failed to avoid run-off as government threatens to arrest senior opposition chief

Mugabe Will Take Part in Run-off, Party Officials Say
Zanu-PF says Zimbabwean president will run in second round of presidential election

Mugabe Invents Coup Plot As Poll Chaos Continues
UK dismisses forged documents outlining 'British invasion plans' as a ruse to delay election results

Mugabe Beaten in Presidential Vote, Says Government Source
Senior government sources tell Reuters that Tsvangirai took 47% of the vote to 43% for Mugabe

Opposition Factions Unite to Demand Mugabe's Exit
Leaders of Movement for Democratic Change claim control of parliament following partial recount

Mugabe Fails in Bid to Switch Poll Result
First defeat in 28 years for ruling Zanu-PF party after partial recount fails to overturn original result

Nigel Winterburn
The Arsenal legend on his love of antique furniture, what Wenger is really like, and what he'd like to do to Robert Mugabe

Brown Calls for Zimbabwe Arms Embargo
Gordon Brown today called for a total arms embargo on Zimbabwe as he denounced Robert Mugabe's attempts to steal last month's presidential election

Pro-Mugabe Newspaper Proposes National Unity Government
Proposal in state-run media viewed by opposition as another attempt by Mugabe to overturn election results

Press Floats Mugabe Unity Government
Proposal viewed by the opposition as another attempt to overturn Zimbabwe's presidential election results

Miliband Hits Out at Mugabe's Election 'charade'
Foreign secretary David Miliband today dismissed the recount currently under way in Zimbabwe and accused Mugabe of "beating his own people to death" to ensure he retains power

Delay and Deception
Leader: Robert Mugabe's strategy for staying in power after losing the popular vote is painfully clear

Mugabe Minister Accused of Gun Threats
Widespread campaign of terror against opposition voters and their families, say human rights lawyers

Mugabe Denounces Britain As 'thieving Colonialists'
President tells 15,000-strong rally that 'imperialist forces' are meddling in Zimbabwe's election aftermath

'We Are Being Bought Like Sheep': Mugabe Launches Vitriolic Attack on Uk and Opposition
Robert Mugabe accuses Britain of bribing his political opponents to recolonize Zimbabwe

Chinese Ship Carries Arms Cargo to Mugabe Regime
77-tonne load includes mortars, rockets and millions of ammunition rounds

No One Thinks Mugabe Won Election, Brown Tells Un
In an unusually forthright statement at the world's top diplomatic table, Gordon Brown virtually accused Robert Mugabe of trying to steal Zimbabwe's presidential vote nearly three weeks ago

Mugabe Has Stolen Poll Win, Brown Tells Un
PM directly accuses Robert Mugabe of stealing the presidential election, as Britain abandons its softly softly approach

Beaten for Voting the Wrong Way: How Zanu-pf is Taking Revenge in Rural Areas
With the election outcome still unclear, gangs warn against opposing Mugabe

Election Recount Allows Mugabe to Step Up Violence, Says Opposition
Results likely to stay secret for another week as votes are recounted in fraudulent attempt to overturn Mugabe's defeat

Mugabe Misses Key Summit in Zambia
'No crisis in Zimbabwe' claims Mbeki as fellow leaders meet to resolve election impasse

The West Must Offer Hope for Life Beyond Mugabe
Leader: There are many ways a corrupt regime can fix a ballot, but they fall into two main categories: elections can either be bought or can be stolen. Mugabe has tried both

Opposition Rejects Run-off As Mugabe Tightens Grip
MDC insist they won election 'hands down', and urge regional leaders to tell president to relinquish power

Defiant But Doomed
Robert Mugabe is mustering all means at his disposal to hang on to power, but the end is nigh

Tsvangirai Presses Mbeki to Demand Election Results
Opposition leader is in South Africa to increase pressure on Mugabe to release election results as Zanu-PF gangs mobilize ahead of possible run-off

Farms Raided As Mugabe Incites Racial Tension
White-owned farms invaded in preparation for run-off vote as MDC takes legal action to force release of results

Down, But Still Dangerous
Leader: Despite losing control of parliament for the first time in 28 years, Mugabe clearly believes he still has options

Mugabe 'prepares for War' Over Zimbabwe Results
Opposition leader says Zanu-PF reviving war veterans to terrorize voters before run-off ballot

At First Mugabe Looked Doomed. Then He Started His Fightback
As the election results showed sweeping success for the opposition MDC, hopes were high of a peaceful handover of power in Zimbabwe. That optimism is ebbing away, reports Chris McGreal in Harare

The Power Game May Go on But the End is Near
>Andrew Meldrum: It was with disbelief that I heard Robert Mugabe was negotiating a quiet retirement, with amnesty

Mugabe Ready to Contest Run-off
Fears of confrontation as Zanu-PF hardliners vow to fight on if presidential vote does not produce winner

Zanu-PF Leaders Back Mugabe Runoff Vote
Zanu-PF administration secretary says party has endorsed runoff if neither Mugabe nor Tsvangirai have absolute majority

Mugabe: I Will Quit, As Long As I Do Not Face Prosecution
MDC in secret talks with president's aides but fears refusal of offer will end in emergency rule

Mugabe Ready for Runoff, Says Minister
Robert Mugabe is ready for a runoff in Zimbabwe's presidential election, a government spokesman insisted today, quashing any opposition hopes that the veteran leader will concede defeat

Split Within Ruling Party Means the End is Near for Mugabe, Claims Opposition
Former African allies urge leader to quit, says MDC while Zanu-PF hardliners talk tough

Mugabe: I Will Quit, As Long I Do Not Face Prosecution
MDC in secret talks with president's aides but fears refusal of offer will end in emergency rule

Mugabe's Party Loses Control of Parliament
Speculation rife about likelihood of second round in presidential vote as opposition claims victory

Mugabe's Last Stand
Leader: No one can predict what is going to happen next in Zimbabwe

Mugabe and Opposition Leader 'face Zimbabwe Runoff Vote'
Archbishop Desmond Tutu calls for international peace keepers to prevent violence while country's leadership hangs in balance

Zimbabwe on a Precipice As Pressure Grows on Mugabe
Leader of opposition party refuses negotiations with Mugabe until election results released

Mugabe Party Sources Concede Loss of First Round
Zanu-PF says second vote needed as Tsvangirai failed to win outright majority

Secret Mugabe Meeting Ponders Military Move or Fixed Result - But Not an Admission of Defeat
Zimbabwe President persuaded not to declare victory as trickle of results raises fears of rigged election

In Defeat, in Denial
Leader: Allegedly 'in shock' over election results, Mugabe's government deliberates over how to keep the opposition from power

Mugabe Stops Election Results Going Public
Robert Mugabe today was desperately trying to cling to power, despite his clear defeat in Zimbabwe's presidential election, by blocking the electoral commission from releasing official results and threatening to treat an opposition claim of victory as a coup

Mugabe Clings on Despite Election Defeat
President blocks release of official results and threatens to treat opposition claim of victory as a coup

Opposition Voters Defy Odds to Make Their Voices Heard
Complacent Zanu-PF party stunned into silence as Tsvangirai on course to take twice as many votes as Mugabe

Holding Their Breath, for the Beginning of the End
Zimbabwe dare not celebrate yet but Mugabe could finally be on his way out

'We Have Been Delivered From Darkness'
Zimbabwe holds its breath as people who can't quite believe that they have managed to defeat Mugabe in an election wait to see what happens next

It's War, Mugabe Says, As Opposition Prepares for Battle
President invokes struggle against imperialism, but opponents see poll as a fight for the survival of the nation

Mugabe Warned of Kenya-style Revolt
Zimbabwe's opposition threatens mass protests amidst accusations of ballot rigging ahead of elections

Mugabe's Last Stand
Leader: If tomorrow's election in Zimbabwe was really free and fair, Mr Mugabe would surely be packed off to his luxurious retirement home in Harare

Mugabe's Opponents 'forced to Eat Election Posters'
Human rights groups today accused Robert Mugabe's government of harassing and intimidating opposition supporters before Saturday's national elections

The Rising Threat
Simba Makoni was Mugabe's greatest threat from within his own party, now he has left the fold his influence could be even greater

'A Hundred Times Better' Than the Rest of Africa
After nearly three decades of rule, Robert Mugabe has brought Zimbabwe to its knees. Yet he insists food shortages are temporary and the economy is strong

Simba Makoni
Zimbabwe's former finance minister has already made history by mounting the most serious challenge from within the Zanu-PF elite to Mugabe. In February, he announced his intention to stand as an independent in the presidential election

Face to Face With a Lonely Tyrant Bent on Vengeance
Robert Mugabe gives his first in-depth interview for nearly 30 years

How Mugabe's Faithful Became the Opposition
There are growing fears that ballot rigging and intimidation may provoke vicious post-election violence in Zimbabwe

We Will Not Let Mugabe Be Beaten, Police and Army Chiefs Warn
Warning comes amid mounting evidence that Mugabe intends to try to repeat the rigging that he used to steal the 2002 election

We Are Facing Food Crisis, Admits Mugabe
President blames 'racist' Britain as he admits that Zimbabwe faces a grave food crisis

Land Dispute Enters Holy Ground As Sacked Bishop Seizes Cathedral
Anglican split deepens after Mugabe's security forces back renegade clergyman

Former Finance Chief to Stand Against Mugabe
Zimbabwe's former finance minister to stand as independent in next month's election in the biggest internal challenge yet to President Mugabe

Archbishop in Mugabe Protest
The Archbishop of York dramatically cut up his dog collar during a live television interview yesterday, and vowed not wear it again until Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe is out of office

TV Clip Archbishop in Mugabe Protest
The Archbishop of York dramatically cut up his dog collar during a live television interview yesterday, and vowed not wear it again until Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe is out of office

Merkel Takes Up Mugabe Issue at Lisbon Summit
In the end it was German Chancellor Angela Merkel who addressed the elephant in the room

A Guest Who Will Make the Most of the Conference
Pariah in the west, hero in large parts of Africa, Robert Mugabe embodies the truculence and the tensions on display in Lisbon

No-show Brown Plays Into Mugabe's Hands
Simon Tisdall, world briefing: Given the high priority he attached to African development during his time as chancellor, Gordon Brown's personal boycott of next week's 80-country EU-Africa summit in Lisbon is raising eyebrows among participants

PM Boycotts Eu-africa Summit Due to Mugabe Attendance
Gordon Brown today put himself at odds with other EU leaders by refusing to attend next month's European summit with African leaders because of Robert Mugabe's presence

EU Scrambles to Control Mugabe After He Confirms Summit Visit
Moves to stop Zimbabwe leader stealing limelight · Africa minister will travel to Lisbon in Brown's place

Merkel Says Mugabe Has Right to Attend Summit
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is entitled to attend a Europe-Africa summit in December, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this weekend.

Brown Loses Fight to Bar Mugabe From Summit
Gordon Brown has lost his campaign to prevent President Robert Mugabe from attending a Europe-Africa summit in Portugal in December despite the EU travel ban on the Zimbabwean strongman.

Calls for a Palace Coup Rise From the Abyss
Simon Tisdall: Talk of a "palace coup" against Robert Mugabe is growing as Zimbabweans seek a way out of the crisis threatening to crush their country.

A Call for Sanctions is Not a Return to Colonialism
Leader: Britain is right to be leading moves to exclude Mr Mugabe from an EU-Africa summit in Portugal in December. He has degraded Zimbabwe's constitution, oppressed its people and vandalized its economy.

It's Personal. Brown Will Not Give in Over Mugabe
The Prime Minister's decision to boycott a Europe-Africa summit in Lisbon if the Zimbabwean leader attends caused a diplomatic row and reopened old wounds. Tracy McVeigh and Nicholas Watt report.

Brown Warns of New Mugabe Sanctions
PM steps up pressure ahead of EU/Africa summit· Portugal scrambles to salvage key meetings

Change to Constitution Could Let Mugabe Pick Successor
Opposition backs move in hopes of further reform· Country closer than ever to collapse, think tank says

Pope Lets Critic of Mugabe Quit After Sex Video
The Pope accepted the resignation of Zimbabwe's archbishop, Pius Ncube, yesterday after the cleric was filmed by Robert Mugabe's secret police apparently having sex with a church secretary.

Mbeki Defends His Stance on Zimbabwe
South African president says his efforts to mediate between the Mugabe government and the opposition are 'on track' and will deliver a solution.

Mugabe Wants Power to Name Own Successor
President Robert Mugabe opened Zimbabwe's parliament yesterday with plans to push through laws that will allow him to appoint his successor without an election, and force businesses to give a controlling stake to ruling party loyalists and others chosen by the government.

How Secret Camera in Archbishop's 'love Nest' Silenced Vocal Mugabe Critic
Video recording of alleged adultery embarrasses nation's Catholic leader.

Mugabe's Price Cuts Bring Cheap Tvs Today, New Crisis Tomorrow
Police and Zanu-PF lead bargain hunt after officials order shops to act.

Mugabe Invited to Lisbon Summit Despite Ban
Portugal sees EU-African Union meeting as priority - Britain and most members fiercely opposed to move

Mugabe Ready to Seize Foreign Companies
Law could force firms to hand over 51% of shares - Wealth would reward supporters, say analysts

Orphaned in the 80s, Persecuted Today: Mugabe's Victims Twice Over
President now fears the children of the opponents killed after independence.

US Reveals Its Efforts to Topple Mugabe Regime
State department tells of regime change strategy - Washington funded opposition activities

Mugabe Opponents Fear Hope is Already Crushed Before Zimbabwe General Strike
Two-day stoppage called for today and tomorrow - Protests hit by hunger and lack of leadership

'This So-called Quiet Diplomacy is Hogwash'
Zimbabwe's forthright archbishop grudgingly concedes that he might have gone too far in urging people to pray for Robert Mugabe's death. Not that Pius Ncube wouldn't still like to see it happen.

Mugabe Denounced By Catholic Bishops
Senior Zimbabwean clerics call for new constitution - MDC members arrive at court with severe injuries

Opposition Deserves to Get 'bashed', Says Mugabe
Zimbabwe president tells supporters he is unapologetic about the recent beating of his opposition leader

President Wins Zanu-pf Backing to Fight Election
Zimbabwe's leader, Robert Mugabe, fended off a challenge to his rule within his Zanu-PF party yesterday after its central committee voted to endorse him as its candidate in next year's presidential election.

Abducted and Branded By Mugabe's Hit Squads
Zimbabwean police sidelined as vigilantes kidnap 200 opposition activists in a week.

Mugabe Defiant As Condemnation Grows
Zimbabwean president set to shrug off increasing criticism of his authoritarian regime at regional summit.

Diplomacy Allows Mugabe to Escape Censure at Summit
African leaders yesterday avoided a confrontation with President Robert Mugabe and appointed Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, to mediate in the growing political and economic crisis in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe Under Fire As Summit Focuses on Zimbabwe Crisis
Southern African Development Community to discuss unravelling political and humanitarian situation.

Opposition Leaders Arrested Again As Mugabe Faces Critics
Zimbabwe leader defiant on eve of Africa summit - Dissidents in own party move to stop re-election

Mugabe's Rule Close to End, Says Former Right-hand Man
Sacked minister says coup is likely if leader won't quit - African summit 'timed to force resignation in 2008'

West Tries to Unite Zanu-pf Rebels to Bring Down Mugabe From Within
Whitehall and Washington talk to rebel faction chief -> Crunch meeting this week could weaken president

Mugabe Under Pressure Over Elections
Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe, may scrap his plans to delay next year's presidential elections, his mouthpiece newspaper reported yesterday, and has partially lifted a ban on political protests in Harare's volatile townships.

Britain Prepares for Life After Mugabe
UK ratchets up pressure on Zimbabwean president - Economy and infighting likely to provide final push

South Africa Under Fire for Failure to Act in Mugabe Crisis
Zimbabwe's archbishop, Pius Ncube, has accused the South African government of failing to use its power to force change in Zimbabwe as Robert Mugabe threatens to crush opposition to his 27-year rule.

Mugabe's Bloody Assault Presents Zimbabwe Opposition With Crucial Test
The Movement for Democratic Change faltered once before. Will it be able to mobilise resistance to Mugabe's rule this time around? asks Chris McGreal in Johannesburg

Opposition Prepares for Final Push, But Can It Lead a Weary Population?
Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change has declared that the bloody assault on its leadership which prompted an international outcry heralds 'the final stage of the final push' to remove Robert Mugabe from power.

Mugabe Threatens Diplomats With Expulsion
Envoys are warned not to aid opposition activists - US tells president he will be held liable for beatings

Mugabe Opponent Beaten Again While Trying to Leave Country
MP seized at airport on his way to EU conference - Protester's body snatched to prevent funeral rally

'Emergency Law' on Streets As Mugabe Bids to Cling on
As Zimbabwe's beleaguered president threatens his police will 'hit harder', the opposition remains defiant, reports Andrew Meldrum in Johannesburg.

Mugabe 'already at War' With Us, Say Dissidents
Zimbabwean opposition leaders today said there was no going back in the campaign to drive president Mugabe from power after police beat up opponents of the ruling regime.

'We Are Being Ruled By Highway Economic Bandits'
Mr Mugabe's crumbling support within his traditional power base is a bigger threat to his regime than the divided and disorganised opposition.

The Wasteland - Inside Mugabe's Crumbling State
At the end of a week that saw protests violently crushed, Chris McGreal reports from Bulawayo on a nation sliding into chaos.

Mugabe Lashes Out at Critics
Robert Mugabe defiantly rejected growing international condemnation of Zimbabwe today, telling the west to "go hang" and attacking the opposition's "campaign of violence".

'Go Hang' - Mugabe's Message to the West
Zimbabwe President defiant but violence may be turning African leaders against him.

Mugabe Government Unapologetic Over Tsvangirai
Zimbabwe unrepentant over allegations that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai sustained serious head injuries while in police custody.

Battered Tsvangirai Defiant As Mugabe Raises the Stakes
Opposition leader has suspected fractured skull - Protesters will pay heavy price, government says

Mugabe Opponent Tsvangirai in Intensive Care After Arrest
The Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was being treated in hospital today for wounds apparently sustained while in police custody.

Mugabe Soldiers on
The latest spasm of violent repression in Zimbabwe has sparked speculation that the era of Robert Mugabe may finally be drawing to a close. By Simon Tisdall

Fears Grow for Arrested Mugabe Opponent
There was growing concern for the wellbeing of the Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, last night after human rights groups said he and others arrested on their way to a prayer rally on Sunday had been denied access to lawyers after being assaulted by Zimbabwean police.

Opposition Leader is Beaten and Jailed While Mugabe Unveils Bid to Be President Till 2014
Fears for wellbeing of MDC chief Morgan Tsvangirai - President defies own party with manoeuvre to stay on.

People
Rowan Williams | Nolbert Kunonga | Mugabe | Gene Robinson | the Queen | Frank Gehry | Antony Gormley | Damien Hirst | Jonathan Sacks | Crown Prince Hassan | Tony Blair...By Stephen Bates

Mugabe Feasts - As His People Starve and His Party Plots
Robert Mugabe celebrated his 83rd birthday yesterday with a lavish feast for the ruling elite while ordinary Zimbabweans faced shops with empty shelves.

EU Split Looms Over Summit Invitations to Mugabe Regime
A new split is developing within the EU over sanctions on the Zimbabwean government, with both France and Portugal considering summit invitations to President Robert Mugabe that would weaken the diplomatic isolation of his regime that Britain is trying to maintain.

Barclays' Millions Help to Prop Up Mugabe Regime
Three British firms provide key finance, allowing the Zimbabwe leader to defy world condemnation.

Mugabe Attempts to Close Last Remaining Newspaper Opponents
Robert Mugabe's government has moved to close Zimbabwe's remaining independent press by stripping newspaper owner Trevor Ncube of his citizenship.

Mugabe's Party Resists Bid to Extend His Rule
President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has refused to extend his term of office.

Mugabe Slated As 700,000 Stay Homeless
The Zimbabwean government has built only 3,300 houses for the estimated 700,000 people made homeless by its forced housing demolitions over a year ago, an Amnesty International report said yesterday.

Tycoon Flees Zimbabwe After Falling Foul of Mugabe
· Wealthy Briton's business affairs under investigation · Company 'under siege' says Harare associate

A Tale of Two Breakfasts
Mugabe was not always the figure now depicted on the London stage as a haunted depressive. By Victoria Brittain

As Zimbawe's Economy Collapses, a Tiny Few Make Huge Profits
In the second of our dispatches from inside Robert Mugabe's tightly controlled country, the Guardian discovers one of the world's most surreal and successful stock exchanges.

Africa Needs More Courage, Says Mugabe
Robert Mugabe marks his 82nd birthday today by urging other African leaders to defy former colonial powers. "What one notices is lack of courage ... a kind of surrender to European authority, I suppose it's because of poverty," he said.

Mad Dogs, a £7 Pint and Mugabe
A shift in the pattern of the world's wealth was illustrated last week as the ancient Viking hangout of Oslo gained the dubious title of being the world's most expensive city. By Tracy Mcveigh

Mugabe Goes Back to the 70s on Cd of Speeches
President Robert Mugabe is aiming to be top of the pops in Zimbabwe with a CD of speeches that will be promoted as "good home entertainment".

Zimbabwe's Opposition Split After Mugabe Wins Flawed Election
· Tsvangirai calls for shift to mass resistance · MDC dissidents win seats in defiance of party leader

US freezes properties of Mugabe, Zimbabwean businesses
The US refused to recognize Mugabe as the winner of this March presidential election and in early 2003 slapped sanctions against Mugabe and 76 other officials. The latest order keeps the 2003 list and added another 53 others. It slapped punitive measures on immediate family members as well.

Mugabe Hails Uranium Find and Vows to Pursue Nuclear Power
Zimbabwe has recently discovered uranium deposits and plans to process the mineral in order to resolve its chronic power shortages, state radio quoted President Robert Mugabe as saying yesterday.

Mugabe Says He Will Step Down in Three Years
Robert Mugabe has indicated for the first time that he will retire as president in 2008, when his current term expires.

Mugabe Feels the Pinch
Zimbabwe's collapsing economy is increasing pressure on the president to introduce reform, says Andrew Meldrum.

Demolitions Go on As Mugabe Defies Un
President Robert Mugabe's government continued bulldozing homes yesterday, defying a UN call to halt demolitions that have already left hundreds of thousands of people on the streets.

Mugabe finds succour in Beijing deals
President Robert Mugabe found a sanctuary from international criticism in Beijing yesterday as the Chinese government gave him an economic deal that is expected to provide Zimbabwe with desperately needed funds.

UN Report Damns Mugabe Slum Clearance Catastrophic
A UN investigation yesterday denounced Robert Mugabe's slum clearance operation, which has left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, as a "catastrophe" that violated international law.

Mugabe Asks South Africa to Bail Him Out
President Robert Mugabe is pleading for a loan worth hundreds of millions of dollars from Zimbabwe's neighbour South Africa to buy food, fuel and electricity in what is being seen as a sign of the deepening crisis afflicting the country.

'Britain Sent Me Back to Mugabe. Now I'm in Hiding'
One man's harrowing story disproves the official British claim that deportees are not at risk.

Mugabe Fears 'spies' From Uk
Robert Mugabe's government suspects that asylum seekers being sent back by Britain are spies, Zimbabwe's main opposition claimed yesterday.

Mugabe's Friends Fail Zimbabwe
Leader: We all have a duty to oppose tyranny.

African Union Defends Mugabe
The African Union yesterday rejected calls by Britain and the US to intervene in Zimbabwe, where the president, Robert Mugabe, is conducting a slum clearance programme that has left hundreds of thousands homeless.

Mugabe Ex-ally Slams Shanty Town Razing
President Robert Mugabe's policy of razing shanty towns in Zimbabwe, making 250,000 people homeless, has been attacked as "barbaric" by his former information minister.

Mugabe Opponents Admit Strike Failure
Police fought running battles yesterday with supporters of a strike called to protest against the forced eviction of slum dwellers in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe Defends Razing of Shanty Towns
President Robert Mugabe yesterday defended the razing of shanty towns and the arrest of thousands of street traders, which has left at least 200,000 people homeless, as a "vigorous clean-up campaign to restore sanity" to Zimbabwe's cities.

Mugabe Allows Un to Increase Food Aid
Zimbabwean leader puts tight conditions on deal.

Archbishop Calls for Strong Leader to Oust Mugabe
One of Robert Mugabe's fiercest critics, the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, has accused Zimbabwe's opposition of failing to give the strong leadership needed to overthrow the president's regime.

Mugabe Attacks Continue
The Zimbabwe government's abuse of human rights activists has not slowed down since the March election that extended the power of President Robert Mugabe, Amnesty International says in a report today.

Mugabe Turns Back on West and Looks East
President Robert Mugabe marked Zimbabwe's 25th anniversary of independence yesterday by attacking the west and defending his land-grab policy.

Mugabe Opponents Allege Fraud
Zimbabwe's opposition has alleged "massive fraud" in last week's parliamentary elections.

Report Claims Evidence of Mugabe Rigging
Robert Mugabe was caught "red-handed" stealing last month's parliamentary election in Zimbabwe when it emerged his ruling Zanu-PF party had failed to win enough votes, a report claimed today.

Gloating Mugabe Vows to Rule Until He is 100
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe emerged strengthened and typically combative at the weekend after the overwhelming, but disputed, victory of his Zanu-PF party in parliamentary elections.

Mugabe Claims Poll Landslide Has Sent a Message to Blair
Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party claimed election victory yesterday, but the opposition said that voting fraud and intimidation had marred the result.

Rivals Cry Foul As Mugabe Wins Poll
Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, accused Robert Mugabe of stealing parliamentary elections yesterday as the president's party was declared the winner.

Mugabe Predicts a Huge Victory
Opposition hopes to offset dirty tricks with high turnout in Zimbabwe poll.

Mugabe Predicts 'huge' Poll Victory
Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, today predicted a "huge, mountainous victory" for his Zanu-PF party in tomorrow's parliamentary elections, which have been described by the EU as phoney.

Mugabe Warns That Opposition Election Victory Will Not Be Tolerated
President Robert Mugabe called the Zimbabwean opposition "traitors" yesterday and accused the Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai of running to the British "like a puppy wagging its tail".

Mugabe Paints Mdc As Blairite Cronies
President Robert Mugabe's party has dubbed this week's parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe an opportunity to 'bury Blair', claiming the British premier is the puppet-master of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

Vote for Us or Starve, Mugabe's Party Tells Villagers
In the first in a series of reports from Zimbabwe before Thursday's general election Jeevan Vasagar visits Matabeleland and uncovers how far the ruling party, Zanu-PF, is prepared to go to win.

Mugabe Vows to 'demolish' Spin Doctor Turned Rival
Former information minister accused of coup plot.

Welcome to Mugabeland, Where Hope Wilts in the Sun
The rains have failed, the crops are dying. As Zimbabwe prepares to vote, Euan Ferguson, in this secret dispatch, explains why the prospect of change still seems agonisingly remote.

MDC Urges Pressure on Mugabe
The Zimbabwean opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, challenged South Africa and neighbouring countries yesterday to press President Robert Mugabe to meet the minimum standards for free and fair elections.

Zanu-PF High Flyer Caught in Mugabe Purge
In a spectacular fall from grace, Philip Chiyangwa, one of the highest flyers in Zimbabwe's ruling regime and a relative of President Mugabe, is jailed on charges of espionage.

Mugabe Purges Challengers
Robert Mugabe has purged seven senior officials of his party, Zanu-PF, and humiliated a cabinet ally in an effort to quell debate on who will succeed him as president of Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirai Urges Pressure on Mugabe Regime
The leader of Zimbabwe's opposition today urged the UK and Europe to pressurise the country's president, Robert Mugabe, into making next March's elections "free and fair".

Cricket: Morgan's Victory Overshadowed By Greater Truths
Kevin Mitchell: The media ban forced David Morgan to confront Robert Mugabe and what followed was sheer hypocrisy. Now, back to cricket.

Hain Says Tour a Boost for Mugabe
The government last night entered the debate over England's controversial cricket tour to Zimbabwe with Peter Hain, the leader of the Commons, calling it a 'propaganda victory' for President Robert Mugabe.

Morgan's victory overshadowed by greater truths
What a delicious twist to the Zimbabwe saga that it took a ham-fisted attack on the British media to persuade the mild-mannered David Morgan, the Neville Chamberlain of cricket, finally to look Robert Mugabe in the eye.

Cricket Tour on Again As Mugabe Backs Down
England's cricketers will touch down in Harare this morning after the Zimbabwe government lifted its ban on nine media organisations.

Determined Mugabe Tightens His Grip
England's cricketers would have arrived in Zimbabwe just as President Robert Mugabe's government introduced a raft of new and highly repressive legislation.

Cricket: Mugabe Will 'exploit' England Tour
November 23: Henry Olonga has claimed that England's tour of Zimbabwe will be used as propaganda by Robert Mugabe's regime.

Cricket: England Team Will Not Attend State Occasions in Zimbabwe
November 16: The ECB chairman stressed that the England team would not take part in any political opportunism by Robert Mugabe's government.

Judge Clears Opposition Leader of Plotting to Assassinate Mugabe
Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, surged back as a political force yesterday after a court acquitted him of plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe, ending a two-and-a-half year case that could have seen him executed. Mr Tsvangirai expressed surprise and relief at...

Court Finds Tsvangirai Not Guilty - As Mugabe Always Hoped It Would
President used lengthy legal process to hobble rival.

Straw Under Fire Over Mugabe Handshake
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, was today criticised after footage of him shaking hands with the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, was broadcast last night. Mr Straw has defended the handshake, implying that he did not know who he was meeting in a "dark corner" during a reception...

Mugabe Refuses Extradition
Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's president, has rejected a request from Equatorial Guinea for the extradition of 70 alleged mercenaries accused of plotting a coup in the west African country. Mr Mugabe and Kembo Mohadi, his home affairs minister, met with two envoys sent by Teodoro Obiang Nguema...

Minister in Illegal Hunting Scandal
Zimbabwe's Information Minister, Jonathan Moyo, who has closed down three newspapers and ordered the arrest of more than 75 journalists, has been accused of seizing a renowned wildlife sanctuary and turning it into a 'slaughterhouse'. The architect of President Robert Mugabe's state...

Greater Trust in Mugabe Ascribed to Fear
Zimbabwe's trust in President Robert Mugabe has risen to 46%, a survey released yesterday shows, but it gives most of the credit for the aging leader's increased popularity to state propaganda and the fear of intimidation. The Afrobarometer survey shows that trust in Mr Mugabe has more...

Mugabe Pushed to Hold Fair Elections
Neighbours' new polling rules are a warning to Zimbabwe.

Mugabe Plans to Starve Voters Into Submission
Malnutrition deaths disprove boasts of bumper crops

Mugabe Accused of Election Torture
President Robert Mugabe's government was accused yesterday of a "widespread, systematic and planned campaign of organised violence and torture to suppress normal democratic activities". The British charity Redress, which helps torture survivors, gave documented examples of 8,871 human...

Mugabe Law Will Curb Church and Charities
The Zimbabwean government has drawn up legislation to curtail the activities of charities, church groups and other non-governmental organisations. Announcing the draft legislation, President Robert Mugabe said non-governmental organisations "must work for the betterment of our country and...

Cricket: Cleric in Call for Mugabe Protest
Archbishop Pius Ncube wants protesters to target Zimbabwe's clash with England in the Champions Trophy in September.

Lamb Denies That Fifth Game is Gift to Mugabe
July 2: The ECB has denied that it is endorsing Robert Mugabe's government by agreeing to a fifth one-day international against Zimbabwe.

Mugabe to Seize All Farm Land
Zimbabwe nationalisation plan will wreck agriculture, critics say.

Mugabe's Banker to Visit Uk for Funds
Scheme to channel expatriate cash through state bank.

Mugabe Introduces New Curbs on Internet
Robert Mugabe was yesterday accused of attempting to censor Zimbabwe's email traffic after his government ordered service providers to stop any correspondence that the regime deemed "malicious". A new contract, which must be signed for the companies to have access to telephone lines,...

Mugabe Vents His Spleen in Rare Tv Interview
Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe angrily denies his country needs food aid and rejected charges his government inflicts human rights abuses in an interview with Sky News released today. By Andrew Meldrum.

Cricket: On Back Foot Over Mugabe
May 23: Dean Jones last week said he didn't give a 'rat's arse' about Robert Mugabe's activities in Zimbabwe. His comments are another blinding example of the insularity of some elite sportsmen, writes Kevin Mitchell.

Mugabe Militia Riot After Mps' Brawl
Youth militia of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party went on the rampage in Harare yesterday, smashing windows and destroying property at the offices of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. The youths also blockaded an entrance to parliament and threatened to kill a white MP...

Mugabe's Gambit Ends in Stalemate
A year ago Zimbabwe was close to revolt, now it is on its knees and its President is enjoying a kind of security. Rory Carroll reports from Bulawayo.

Resurgent Mugabe Looks to the Future
Rory Carroll reports from Lupane, a district about to back the man who devastated it.

Cricket: Mugabe Opponent Wants Tour Scrapped
May 13: Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has urged the ECB to call off the autumn tour of his country.

Staff Flee As Mugabe Turns on Top Schools
Zimbabwe has closed the country's private schools and arrested nine school heads, after a minister reportedly said the government was going to take over the schools the way they seized white-owned farms.

Mbeki Sworn in As Country Hails Decade of Freedom
Boos and cheers greet Mugabe as world leaders gather to witness inauguration of president's second term.

Mugabe Minister Accused of Illegal Dealings
The Zimbabwean finance minister was detained in Harare at the weekend facing charges of corruption and illegal dealings in foreign currency.

Lawyer Calls for Mugabe Trial at The Hague
A leading international lawyer yesterday called for Robert Mugabe to be brought to trial for state-sponsored torture, murder and rape amid fresh claims that the government in Zimbabwe is abusing its legal system to hold on to power. Mark Ellis, from the International Bar Association, said...

Mugabe 'bullies Way to Poll Win'
Mugabe's Zanu-PF party was accused yesterday of using violence to win a parliamentary byelection in which one opposition supporter was shot dead and 50 more taken to hospital.

Mugabe's Foes 'face Constant Attacks'
MPs tell of threats and violence from ruling party supporters.

Mugabe Shrugs Off 'murder' Bid and Health Fears
The president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, recently found ground glass in his food: possibly an attempt to kill him.

Streak Strikes a False Note on Mugabe Role
Recent comments byu Zimbabwe's cricket captain proved we live in the age of the glib denial and the unchallenged downright fib.

Mugabe Seizes S African-owned Company
Zimbabwe's land seizures have escalated with the government's confiscation of the country's largest sugar producer, Hippo Valley. The vast estate in the southeastern corner of the country annually produces 236,000 tonnes of sugar, estimated to be worth £41m. Hippo Valley covers...

Mugabe Arrest Bid Fails
An application for a warrant to arrest and extradite the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, on torture charges was rejected by a British court yesterday. The human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said he had hoped to bring President Mugabe to justice through the British courts under...

Journalists Accused of Defaming Mugabe
Three Zimbabwean journalists were charged yesterday with criminally defaming President Robert Mugabe and released on bail after two nights in jail. Iden Wetherell, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, Vincent Kahiya, news editor and Dumisani Muleya, senior reporter, were charged over a...

Mugabe Aide Admits Land Grab Failed
Seized farms remain unclaimed amid warnings of a famine later this year.

Flails and Insults Await Mugabe Refugees
South Africa's immigration staff are accused of brutality and blocking asylum for all but a handful of Zimbabweans.

Tourists' Money is Needed, But Boosts Mugabe Regime
The ethics of tourism are preoccupying those Zimbabweans who say foreign visitors benefit Mugabe's regime by injecting foreign currency as well as legitimising its claim to be ruling a normal country.

Be Happy, Mugabe Tells the Starving
Zimbabwe's government has begun a huge propaganda campaign to cheer up the country with music, football and sex.

Mugabe's Defeat is Mbeki's, Too
The South African president was making a bid for a greater Africa. Two ideas of Africa and of how to bring about change in the world clashed at the Commonwealth summit in Abuja.

Money No Longer Talks in Mugabe's Empire
Zimbabwe's entrenched international isolation is unlikely to alleviate the daily burden of its people.

Ranks Close to Save Commonwealth
The threat of splits in the Commonwealth have led politicians to either criticise Robert Mugabe or insist that the decision to keep his country suspended was just.

Mugabe Quits Commonwealth
Zimbabwe president defies decision by heads of government to extend sanctions for undemocratic behaviour.

Torn Summit Leaders Delay Decision on Defiant Mugabe
Commonwealth leaders were last night struggling to remain united in their tough stance against Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe as African leaders sought a compromise which would give him hope of rehabiliation within two years. Though the first day of the Commonwealth heads of...

We'll Overcome Woes and Build a Rival World Power, Mugabe Tells Zimbabwe
Robert Mugabe vowed yesterday to haul Zimbabwe out of economic decline, but offered few concrete measures for reversing the slump. Instead, in his state of the nation address to parliament, President Mugabe blamed foreign "interference" for Zimbabwe's plight, denouncing the Commonwealth...

We May Quit the Commonwealth for Good, Says Defiant Mugabe
Zimbabwe's president hits back after summit snub.

Army 'faked' Votes for Mugabe
A Zimbabwean army officer yesterday described how, under orders, he forged thousands of ballots for Robert Mugabe in last year's disputed presidential elections. Lieutenant Herbert Ndlovu, 43, said he had worked with five other army personnel to falsify thousands of army postal ballots so...

Mugabe Not Invited to Summit
The Nigerian president said yesterday that he would not issue a last-minute invitation to Robert Mugabe to attend the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Abuja, Nigeria.

Mugabe Arrests More Than 100 Opponents
Riot police go into action against demonstrators.

Mugabe Insists He Will Go to Summit
Threat of Commonwealth split.

Mugabe's Critics Find Their Voice
Paper resumes attacks on regime after ban is lifted. 'We are back!' shouted the triumphant headline of Zimbabwe's Daily News, which sold briskly on Harare's streets yesterday after being closed by police for five weeks.

Mugabe Seals Fate of Free Press
Zimbabwe's largest daily newspaper was closed down yesterday when President Robert Mugabe's government refused to issue the licence needed to publish.

Mugabe Throws Cloud Over Summit
South Africa and Australia clashed yesterday over barring Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, from a Commonwealth summit. The row threatens to split the group along racial lines. Australia's prime minister, John Howard, angered Pretoria by announcing that Mr Mugabe would not be invited...

Mugabe Closes Down Critical Newspaper
Zimbabwe faces intensified isolation by the international community after the Mugabe government closed the country's only independent daily newspaper.

Mugabe's thugs admit their crimes
Up to 60,000 Zimbabwean youths have been trained by the Mugabe regime in the use of weapons and torture techniques and ordered to use violence against supporters of the opposition party, according to a report released in Johannesburg yesterday by the Solidarity Peace Trust.

'Wake-up' Call for Mugabe
President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party conceded yesterday that opposition gains in Zimbabwe's municipal elections last weekend had given it "a rude wake-up call". The information minister, Jonathan Moyo, speaking for Zanu-PF, said the Movement for Democratic Change's victory in most of...

Mugabe Palace Hints at Plans to Stay
Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe, is building a lavish palace costing £3.75m on the outskirts of the capital, Harare. Furnishings and security are expected to send the cost to more than £6m at a time when nearly half of Zimbabwe's population is dependent on international...

UN Threat to Halt Food Aid to Zimbabwe
UN officials threatened to halt food relief to Zimbabwe yesterday if President Mugabe's government goes ahead with plans to take over control of the distribution of aid. The government this week ordered all international aid agencies to hand food aid to ruling party officials in areas...

Mugabe to Run Food Aid Distribution
The Zimbabwean government said yesterday that it would take control of the distribution of food aid, provoking suspicion that it will be channelled to supporters of President Robert Mugabe's party, Zanu-PF, to help secure their votes in the forthcoming local elections. The minister of...

Mugabe Plots to Quit Without Standing Trial for Crimes
Zimbabwean leader in secret negotiations as his regime is crushed by pressure from abroad and hunger at home.

Cash Crisis Threatens to Unseat Mugabe
As banknotes run out, President admits Zimbabwe is suffering.

Zimbabwe Trumpets Low-key Post for Mugabe
African leaders have elected the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, as vice-chairman of the African Union's southern African bureau at the organisation's summit in Maputo, Mozambique. Zimbabwe's state broadcaster trumpeted Mr Mugabe's new post as proof that the embattled leader still...

Exiled Officer Tells How Mugabe's Thugs Took Over Police Force
Andrew Meldrum meets refugees who say force has become a partisan gang.

Mugabe Threatens to Expel Uk Envoy
President Robert Mugabe escalated Zimbabwe's war of words with Britain yesterday by threatening to expel London's high commissioner from Harare, claiming that Sir Brian Donnelly had aided opposition protests. The Zimbabwean president told supporters that London's top diplomatic envoy had...

Mugabe Crackdown Keeps Main Foe in Jail
The Zimbabwean government stepped up its crackdown on the political opposition yesterday by denying bail to the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, and arresting his deputy. Mr Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), is facing a second charge of treason and...

Mugabe Buys Time in Grim Endgame
Rory Carroll in Harare reports on the president's mix of charm and terror. Resorting to a surreal mix of charm, bluff and terror, President Robert Mugabe is fighting this weekend to buy himself time to save his regime.

Mugabe Worm Gnaws the Life From Zimbabwe
June 7: Richard Johnson deserves recognition for a startling bowling debut but it came against a country whose cricketing stock is falling as fast as the Zimbabwe dollar, says David Hopps.

Mugabe is Cornered
As even his police force begins to abandon him, and strikes rock the country, Zimbabwe's increasingly desperate president is stepping up the level of repression, writes Andrew Meldrum.

Mugabe Cracks Down With Bullets, Teargas and Arrests
Tsvangirai held as week-long strike begins in Zimbabwe.

Mugabe Moves to Crush Protest Strike
Tanks moved into Harare's townships yesterday and the security forces were put on alert in preparation for the start, today, of a week-long national strike and protests against President Robert Mugabe. Panic buying highlighted the anxiety gripping the country after the opposition leader,...

Mugabe's 'cleansing' of Zimbabwe Squad
Cricket: The Zimbabwe squad who face England in the second Test in Durham this week has been purged of players critical of President Robert Mugabe.

A Sad Day at Lord's
Yesterday saw the start of England's controversial Test match against Zimbabwe. We sent two journalists: Andrew Meldrum, the Guardian's man in Harare until last weekend when he was dramatically kicked out; and Mduduzi Mathuthu, who suffered under Mugabe and now lives in exile in this country

From joy and hope to corruption, tyranny and the misery of poverty
For 23 years Andrew Meldrum reported from Zimbabwe. On Friday he was forcibily deported. Here, he describes how a country which offered so much hope to Africa became, under its leader Robert Mugabe, a pariah nation.

Outrage as Mugabe defies courts to expel reporter
Robert Mugabe stood accused yesterday of flouting his own country's laws as opposition groups in Zimbabwe joined a chorus of international outrage at the forcible expulsion of Andrew Meldrum, the Zimbabwe correspondent for The Observer and the Guardian.

'After 23 Years, Mugabe Has Thrown Me Out, But He'll Never Silence Me'
Andrew Meldrum, The Observer's correspondent in Harare, says his brutal - and illegal - removal from Zimbabwe only illustrates that the murderous and incompetent regime's days are numbered.

Court tears off Mugabe muzzle on journalists
President Robert Mugabe's attempts to muzzle the press received a temporary setback yesterday when Zimbabwe's supreme court struck down key sections of a law which make it a criminal offence to publish "falsehoods".

Nine Protestors; Umpteen Cheese Sandwiches; and Eleven Million Viewers.
WHY ZIMBABWE'S VISIT IS IMMORAL Don't be misled by the numbers. The nine people who used Zimbabwe's tour opener at Edgbaston on Saturday to protest against Robert Mugabe's regime were making a very good point: just because the World Cup has finished, it doesn't mean the murder...

Troika Urges Mugabe to Negotiate
In a move hailed as the first step towards solving Zimbabwe's deepening crisis, President Robert Mugabe came under concerted pressure from three African leaders to begin negotiations with the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Presidents Thabo Mbeki of South...

African Leaders Meet Mugabe
Three African leaders today met the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, for intense negotiations aimed at ending the political chaos and violence that has crippled the nation for three years. The South African president, Thabo Mbeki, Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo and Bakili Muluzi from...

'Suspension has not helped at all'
The secretary general of the Commonwealth, Don McKinnon, admitted yesterday that the body had failed in its efforts to get Mr Mugabe to reform, but said it would keep trying.

Muted Zimbabwe Tip-toe Into Town
May 2: Tour turns the spotlight on Mugabe, writes Mike Selvey.

Knives Out for Mugabe As Party Loyalty Fades
Power struggle brews within Zanu-PF amid growing dismay over Zimbabwe's collapse.

Leaders on Mission to Make Mugabe Quit
Two of Africa's most powerful leaders, Thabo Mbeki and Olusegun Obasanjo, are to press President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe to retire in an attempt to break the country's deepening economic and humanitarian crisis. The South African and Nigerian presidents will fly to Harare on Monday,...

England Test Series Faces Pitch Protests
Anti-Mugabe campaigners plan 'hit-and-run' strikes to disrupt cricket.

West Sidelined As Africa Walks Hand in Hand With Mugabe
Our series on Zimbabwe concludes by looking at why Britain will not heed calls to 'do an Iraq'.

Beleaguered Mugabe Unleashes New Terror
Andrew Meldrum in Harare reports on a wave of state-organised beatings and torture of opposition activists.

Report Adds to Mugabe's Isolation
Commonwealth secretary general blames Zimbabwean leader for famine and human rights abuses.

Mugabe's Opposition Celebrates Poll Wins
Zimbabwe's main opposition party celebrated crucial byelection victories in the capital yesterday, billing them as a springboard for mass action to topple President Robert Mugabe. "This is only the beginning of the struggle to recapture the stolen presidential poll, so that the...

Mugabe Troops 'torture Hundreds'
An unprecedented explosion of state-sponsored violence broke out amid charges of massive vote-rigging before voting begins today in two crucial parliamentary byelections. Hundreds of tortured and severely injured supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) flooded...

Wife of Mugabe's Army Chief Said: 'that Woman's Trouble, Beat Her'
When lawyer Gugu Moyo went to a police station she was hit with batons and thrown in a cell. Andrew Meldrum reports from Harare on a new outbreak of official brutality.

Mugabe Critics Spurred on By Strike
After a two-day anti-government strike, Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change yesterday vowed to escalate "mass action" to force President Mugabe's government to reform or leave office. The national strike was the biggest protest for more than two years against Robert Mugabe's 23-year...

Mugabe's Youth Militias 'raping Women Held Captive in Camps'
Victims across Zimbabwe accuse ruling party of sex crimes and torture

Mugabe's Youth Militias 'raping Women Held Captive in Camps '
Victims across Zimbabwe accuse ruling party of sex crime and torture by Zanu-PF.

Best Dutch innings to date as futile as protesters' banners
Zimbabwe v Holand: Zimbabwe won by 99 runs but it was two men dancing and parading anti-Mugabe banners in the crowd that saved the match from becoming another World Cup yawn.

Olonga and Flower Face Ban
February 26: The Zimbabwe Cricket Union is so intent on exacting revenge on Andrew Flower and Henry Olonga for their anti-Mugabe protest that it will try to ban both from ever playing again.

Mugabe's Cronies 'grab Land'
Some of President Robert Mugabe's closest allies and relatives have seized farms intended for the resettlement of poor blacks, according to a secret government report prepared by the Zimbabwean vice-president, Joseph Msika, and leaked yesterday to a London newsletter. In one case a senior...

Tension Surrounds Mugabe Visit
To all but one of the African leaders attending the opening ceremony of yesterday's Franco-African summit in Paris, a jovial President Jacques Chirac proffered the regular Gallic greeting of a kiss on each cheek. Robert Mugabe got a grim nod and a cursory handshake, as the French...

Olonga Cast Out By His Harare Club
February 21: Zimbabwe's fast bowler Henry Olonga was expelled by his home cricket club after continuing his protest against Robert Mugabe's government.

Mugabe Rides Out Storm of Protest in Paris Hotel
Robert Mugabe arrived in Paris yesterday for a two-day Franco-African summit, sparking strong protests across the city and reviving a bitter diplomatic row about France's right to invite him. The Zimbabwean president, who stands accused of systematic brutality against his opponents and is...

Mugabe Attends Africa Summit in Paris
A temporary relief from European Union sanctions against Zimbabwe today allowed the country's president, Robert Mugabe, to fly to Paris for a two-day Africa summit. Dispension for Mr Mugabe to attend, who is banned from entering the EU for democratic and human rights abuses, was demanded...

Straw Pressed to Back Mugabe Arrest
The shadow foreign secretary, Michael Ancram, has formed an unlikely alliance with human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell to have the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, arrested on his visit to Paris. Mr Tatchell is demanding that the French authorities detain Mr Mugabe under the...

Living in Fear of Mugabe's Green Bombers
Poll triggers series of attacks by Zimbabwe's youth militia.

'Why I Wore a Black Band for Zimbabwe'
Andrew Meldrum in Harare meets cricket hero Henry Olonga and learns what led two players to defy Robert Mugabe on the pitch.

Disarray Over Mugabe Forces Eu to Delay Summit
The European Union is putting off a fully fledged summit with African countries because it cannot find a way of excluding the Zimbabwean leader, Robert Mugabe. EU ambassadors meeting in Brussels yesterday decided that the Lisbon summit, originally scheduled for April 5, would have to be...

Flower and Olonga reported
Andy Flower and Henry Olonga have been reported to the ICC by their own board after making a stand against Robert Mugabe's regime.

Olonga Risks His Career With Political Protest
February 11: Henry Olonga's club last night moved to suspend the fast bowler after he and Andy Flower made a stand against the Mugabe regime by wearing black armbands during Zimbabwe's opening match against Namibia.

Olonga Risks Playing Ban to Make a Protest
February 11: Henry Olonga's club last night moved to suspend the fast bowler after he and Andy Flower made a stand against the Mugabe regime by wearing black armbands during Zimbabwe's opening match against Namibia.

Zimbabwe Players Lash Out at Mugabe
Two Zimbabwe cricketers entered the debate over hosting World Cup matches with an unprecedented attack on their country's leaders minutes before opening their campaign in Harare.

Only the rain can rain on this parade
Forget Mugabe's thuggery, forget creased English brows, forget interminable meetings in luxurious waterfront hotels. All side issues; so far as most South Africans are concerned this is their tournament and their party, and everyone wants a slice of it.

UK 'put Up £6m to Oust Mugabe'
A self-avowed former Israeli spy claimed in a Harare courtroom yesterday that the Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai plotted a coup to depose Robert Mugabe - backed by £6m from the British government. Ari Ben Menashe, a political consultant based in Canada who claims to...

Africa's Glow Hit By Profits of Doom
The money-spinning mission cannot escape the shadow of Mugabe.

EU Split on Mugabe Ban
European Union foreign ministers today failed to reach an agreement on the future of sanctions against Zimbabwe's ruling elite. The Greek foreign minister, George Papandreou, who chaired the meeting, said the split could lead to the cancellation of an EU-Africa summit to be held in Lisbon...

Mugabe's Grip Tightens on Eve of Cricket Tour
Zimbabwe's opposition face arrest and torture as the World Cup draws closer. They came in the dead of night. Job Sikhala was woken by a phone call from a neighbour warning that vehicles were approaching his home shortly before 4am. Sikhala knew he was in danger: as an opposition MP with Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change, he was a prime target for Robert Mugabe's secret police.

UK Moves to Limit Damage Over Invitation to Mugabe
Tony Blair will work to prevent Robert Mugabe attending the EU-Africa summit in Portugal this spring after coming under fire for acquiescing in a controversial visit by the Zimbawean leader to Paris next month. In a clear attempt to limit the damage from the French invitation, which...

Britain Agrees Deal to Let Banned Mugabe Attend Paris Summit
Tony Blair's government was last night accused of "outrageous and dishonourable" double standards over Zimbabwe.

BBC's Murphy boycotts Zimbabwe
Pat Murphy, the voice of cricket on BBC Radio 5 Live, is to boycott England's World Cup tie against Zimbabwe in Harare as a protest against the repressive regime of President Robert Mugabe.

Bested by the armed enemy within
When Robert Mugabe boarded a plane for an extended holiday in Thailand a fortnight ago it probably did not occur to him that by the time he returned his hold on power would be in question.

Zimbabwe Denies Plot to Replace Mugabe
Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu-PF party yesterday scrambled to deny reports that two leading officials approached opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai with a plan for President Robert Mugabe to step down. "This is a wicked, malicious and mischievous attempt to bring the British-sponsored MDC...

Secret Deal for Mugabe to Quit Floated By Zimbabwe Officials
Mediators acting for top government officials have floated the idea that President Robert Mugabe would retire in return for immunity from prosecution, Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, disclosed last night. Mr Tsvangirai said he had talked with independent mediators on...

Secret Deal for Mugabe to Quit
Opposition claims party chiefs have plan for Zimbabwean leader to resign in return for legal immunity.

Violence May Settle Cricket Row
England's controversial cricket World Cup match in Zimbabwe next month looked set to be cancelled last night because of growing political violence by supporters of Robert Mugabe's regime and worsening food riots. As pressure grew on Tony Blair to make an 'unequivocal statement' on the...

Mugabe Loyalists to Run Opposition Strongholds
Unelected governors will be installed to run two cities in Zimbabwe where anti-government protests have intensified in the past week, the government said yesterday. President Robert Mugabe was immediately accused of trying to usurp mayors from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change...

Pianist Rejected By Britain Fears Mugabe's Police
Talented gay Zimbabwean musician is refused asylum as anger over cricket World Cup trip grows.

Blair Calls for Zimbabwe Cricket Tour Boycott
Tony Blair last night stepped into the deepening row over plans for England cricketers to play in the World Cup in Zimbabwe, saying the team should not take part in the match in Robert Mugabe's famine-stricken country. As the Conservatives yesterday accused the government of a woeful lack...

Mayors call for protest in black
Cricketers playing in next year's World Cup matches in Zimbabwe should wear black armbands or make donations to help victims of political violence to show their opposition to President Robert Mugabe's government, say the mayors of Harare and Bulawayo.

ECB Attempts to Avoid the Pitfalls of a Politically Motivated Boycott
December 12: The England and Wales Cricket Board is adamant that a boycott of its World Cup tie in Harare would be irrelevant to Robert Mugabe but would leave Zimbabwean cricket on the verge of bankruptcy.

Famine Becomes Mugabe Weapon
In a shockingly sinister act of vengeance, Zimbabwe's dictator is orchestrating a slow death by starvation for millions of his opponents.

UK Inquiry Into Jet Parts for Mugabe
The British government has launched a formal investigation into allegations that a white Zimbabwean businessman - one of the richest men in Britain - has broken UK and European sanctions by supplying aircraft parts to the Zimbabwean air force.

Mugabe stops charities' famine work
The Zimbabwe government has banned Oxfam and Save the Children from distributing urgently needed food aid, UN officials confirmed yesterday. Despite reports that people are dying of starvation, President Robert Mugabe's government has refused to allow the two charities to deliver food supplied by the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

Mugabe Confines Envoys to Harare
The Mugabe government has escalated its confrontation with London by telling British diplomats in Harare they cannot travel outside the capital without permission. "We were informed that all British diplomats should stay within Harare city limits," one envoy said yesterday. "If we want to...

Mugabe's minister avoids ban
International attempts to isolate Zimbabwe suffered a new blow last night when one of President Robert Mugabe's senior ministers flew to Brussels for talks with the EU.

Mugabe boycotts summit
President Robert Mugabe risked further isolation in the Commonwealth yesterday by boycotting the "troika" summit on Zimbabwe with the leaders of Nigeria, South Africa and Australia.

Mugabe takes revenge on Britain
Tony Blair was yesterday subjected to a humiliating ambush in front of dozens of world leaders as the troubles of Zimbabwe threatened to overshadow the earth summit.

Mugabe Police Chief Beats Eu Ban to Enter France
The Zimbabwean police commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, is to be allowed into France today, despite a EU travel ban and the accusation that he is guilty of gross human rights abuses. He has been given a special dispensation by France, Britain and other EU governments to travel to Lyon for...

Mugabe Packs New Cabinet With Loyalists
Robert Mugabe strengthened his hold on the Zimbabwean government yesterday by retaining the most combative hardliner ministers in a cabinet shuffle which offered little hope of a moderation of the land seizures and other policies that have kept Zimbabwe in crisis and brought international...

Why should all Africa suffer for Mugabe's sins?
Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, says sanctions against Zimbabwe must be balanced by a fresh approach to the entire continent.

Straw Attack on Mugabe's 'pariah' State
Zimbabwe rule based on election fraud. Robert Mugabe's leadership of Zimbabwe has caused the starvation of millions of people and is based 'on a fraud', Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says today in an unprecedented attack on the African leader.

Blair must take a stand on Mugabe
Next week's earth summit will have to call Zimbabwe to account. The earth summit, which begins in Johannesburg on Monday, is essentially about the need to forestall our planet's destruction by human avarice and neglect.

US Admits Plan to Bring Down Mugabe
The United States government has said it wants to see President Robert Mugabe removed from power and that it is working with the Zimbabwean opposition to bring about a change of administration. As scores of white farmers went into hiding to escape a round-up by Zimbabwean police, a senior...

Zimbabwe-raised Novelist Says 'insane' Mugabe is Destroying Country
Doris Lessing, the Zimbabwean-raised writer, has used her platform at the Edinburgh Book Festival to criticise the country's president, Robert Mugabe, branding him insane.

Mugabe fails to heed pleas of starving
Declan Walsh reports from the Zambezi Valley, where land redistribution has fatally deepened a drought-led food crisis.

Mugabe says 'loyal' farmers can keep some land
President Robert Mugabe yesterday ordered white farmers defying eviction orders to pack up and leave Zimbabwe, but said loyal farmers willing to cooperate with his government would not be left completely landless.

War on the peasantry
Mugabe's crimes pale next to what black small farmers endure in the name of development. The most evil man on earth, after Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden, is Robert Mugabe, the president of Zimbabwe. That, at least, is the view of most of the western world's press.

Mugabe 'will Enforce Farm Evictions'
The president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, today signalled the death of white farming in his country by insisting he would enforce last week's deadline for nearly 2,000 white farmers to abandon their land or face two years in jail. About 2,900 of Zimbabwe's remaining 4,500 white commercial...

Defiant Farmers Wait for Mugabe's Next Move
Zimbabwe land-grab comes to a standstill as president's eviction deadline is ignored on the eve of independence day.

Farmers Defy Mugabe Deadline
Hundreds risk arrest as they refuse to leave their land.

Tsvangirai faces new Mugabe charge
The Zimbabwean police say they plan to charge Morgan Tsvangirai, the opposition leader widely believed to have been robbed of victory in April's rigged presidential election, with threatening President Robert Mugabe.

Mugabe Repays His Foes With Starvation
Andrew Meldrum sees how Zimbabwe's leader is using the state grain monopoly and UN food aid for political ends.

EU Defies Critics to Extend Sanctions on Harare Elite
The EU cranked up the pressure on the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, yesterday by subjecting scores of his closest associates to a visa ban and assets freeze. European foreign ministers said all Zimbabwean cabinet ministers and senior officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party would now...

EU Urged to Turn Screw on Mugabe
Britain is urging the European Union to impose new sanctions on Zimbabwe after President Robert Mugabe's failure to meet international demands on democratic reforms and ending violence. EU foreign ministers, including Jack Straw, will meet in Brussels on Monday for what promises to be a...

Straw: Mugabe's Farm Seizures 'reprehensible'
The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, has warned that the order for white Zimbabwean farmers to give up their land would trigger a 'man-made tragedy' as the southern African country faced starvation.

Mugabe Tells Farmers to Down Tools
President Robert Mugabe ordered 2,900 commercial farmers to stop work yesterday, as Zimbabwe faces its worst food shortage for 60 years. The order is the final step before the government seizes the farms, including the crops in the fields, for redistribution to its black supporters...

Geoffrey Robertson: Mugabe versus the internet
Zimbabwe's trial of a Guardian reporter could undermine its own view of national sovereignty. Andrew Meldrum, the Guardian's correspondent in Zimbabwe, is on trial in Harare, accused of "publishing falsehoods" in this newspaper's online service.

British Diplomat Accused of Plot Against Mugabe
Relations between London and Harare reached a new low yesterday when Zimbabwe placed the British High Commissioner, Brian Donnelly, under surveillance over accusations that he is co-ordinating efforts to overthrow President Robert Mugabe.

Gasps of indignation as Mugabe puts his case
Ignoring cold stares from delegates, President Robert Mugabe defended Zimbabwe's farm seizures at the food summit yesterday and pleaded for aid to avert the threat of famine partly caused by the seizures.

Africa Dominates Famine Summit
Mugabe sidesteps EU ban to attend food conference.

Mugabe targets the media as economy sinks
Zimbabwe, once one of Africa's most prosperous economies, is now one of its basket cases.

Guardian Reporter Sent for Trial in Harare
The Guardian's Zimbabwe correspondent, Andrew Meldrum, and a local reporter were yesterday the first journalists to be sent for trial under President Robert Mugabe's draconian new media law which carries penalties of up to two years in jail. Harare magistrate Joyce Negonde said Mr Meldrum...

Mugabe 'starves' Opponents' Children
President accused of a vicious campaign of poll reprisals.

12,000 evicted from land seized by Mugabe
The Zimbabwean government has begun evicting 12,000 poor black families from "illegally" settled white-owned farms and other land, including property owned by a cabinet minister and the church.

Mugabe beats US travel ban
The Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, will address the UN summit on children's rights in New York tomorrow, despite a travel ban imposed by the White House which forbids him to enter the United States.

Girls See Mother Beheaded By Mugabe Followers
Rural followers of President Robert Mugabe were accused yesterday of beheading a mother of eight whom they suspected of being a supporter of Zimbabwe's opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Meanwhile armed riot police used batons to beat about 1,000 anti-government...

Mugabe Regime Threatens Media Critics With Jail
The top United Nations human rights watchdog considered alleged abuses in Zimbabwe yesterday at the end of a week in which President Robert Mugabe's government used its repressive new media laws to crack down on the press. However, the 53-member UN human rights commission did not vote on...

By the truckload, women against Mugabe have their day in court
Women members of Zimbabwe's National Constitutional Assembly, who had been arrested for holding a meeting to demand a new constitution, begin arriving at Harare's magistrates court yesterday.

Colin Richardson: Outed in Africa
The chief executive of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) has been brought low after allegations that he was caught in a sex act with a man in a Harare nightclub. Given his role as chief propagandist for President Robert Mugabe's campaign against gays, it is humiliating.

Gay Claims Force Out Mugabe's Tv Chief
The head of Zimbabwe's state radio and television has been forced to resign after allegations that he was caught having sex with a man in a Harare nightclub.

No More Mr Nice Guy, Mugabe Tells Protesters
Robert Mugabe has said that he will no longer be "soft" on his critics after a coalition of churches, trade unions and civic groups called for mass protests next weekend against the rigging of last month's presidential election. In a speech that implicitly acknowledged the wave of terror...

Washington Adds Bishop of Harare to Sanctions List
Washington has added the Anglican bishop of Harare and Zimbabwe's richest businessman, who is a UK resident, to its list of Robert Mugabe's close associates subject to sanctions. The Americans say the listing of politicians, generals and senior civil servants as banned from the US, and...

Witch-hunt As Mugabe Strikes Back With New Terror
Waves of violent retribution and repression are shuddering through Zimbabwe in the aftermath of the discredited presidential election as Robert Mugabe defies international pressure by entrenching himself for another six years in power. More than 10,000 Zimbabweans are on the run, hiding...

Chris McGreal: There are no excuses for Mugabe
Zimbabwe's election should be judged by its own high standards. There is only one measure by which to judge Zimbabwe's election.

Defiant Mugabe Presses Tsvangirai Treason Charge
Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the Zimbabwean opposition, was charged with high treason by President Robert Mugabe's government yesterday: a defiant response to Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth. Earlier this week the South African president, Thabo Mbeki, and other...

Mbeki sacrificed a despot to keep his grand vision alive
Robert Mugabe came to believe that if no one else would back him as he clung on to power in the name of anti-colonialism he could at least count on his fellow African leaders.

Mugabe's arrogance shaken
Zimbabwe's surprise suspension from the Commonwealth rewrites agenda for southern Africa. The timing of Zimbabwe's suspension from the Commonwealth could not have been worse for Robert Mugabe.

World Turns Back on Mugabe
Zimbabwe's Commonwealth membership was last night suspended for 12 months with immediate effect after the troika of Commonwealth leaders responsible for delivering a verdict on the country's violent presidential election confounded their critics. The sentence, which caught Robert Mugabe...

Unions defy Mugabe and call for strike
Zimbabwe crisis deepens with no signs of African leaders brokering compromise with opposition. Zimbabwe's trade unions called yesterday for a three-day general strike against President Robert Mugabe's government while Africa's two most powerful leaders appeared to make little headway in resolving the country's pressing political and economic crisis.

Defiant Mugabe sworn in for new term
Robert Mugabe was sworn in for another six-year term as Zimbabwe's president yesterday, before making a brief gesture of reconciliation to his opponents but pledging to accelerate the seizure of white- owned farms.

Africa on Mugabe
President Mugabe only wants to hear Africa's views of his election victory. But the congratulations of his fellow rulers do not tell the full story. A selection of commentary from Zimbabwe, southern Africa and beyond.

Big Three to judge Mugabe fate
Zimbabwe's leader under world pressure to give way before London meeting.

Mugabe signs draconian media bill
Robert Mugabe defied international condemnation of his re-election yesterday by signing into law a controversial media bill aimed at curtailing criticism by the press - and by rejecting a South African proposal for a government of national unity including the opposition.

Mugabe Signs Off Draconian Press Laws
4.30pm: Press freedom in Zimbabwe suffered a further blow today after president Robert Mugabe declared all journalists have to be licensed by the government. By Ashley Davies.

Observers disagree over Mugabe's 'flawed' poll
Some countries, such as South Africa and Nigeria, sent two groups and they differ on their verdicts.

How votes add up
Bulawayo Turnout: 45% Mugabe: 17% Tsvangirai: 79% Harare Turnout: 47% Mugabe: 24% Tsvangirai: 75%

More grief to come for an angry and hungry nation
As economy crumbles, isolated Mugabe may have nowhere to turn. Now comes the hard part for Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe's president has persuaded, cajoled or terrorised a majority of voters into giving him another six years in power.

Why Mugabe Played the Race Card
The Zanu-PF leader's claims of a white conspiracy helped to deflect western criticisms and to rally black countries to his cause, writes Simon Tisdall.

Uneasy Capital Pulls Down the Shutters
A cloud of bitterness, dejection and anxiety about the future hung over Harare yesterday, but despite outbreaks of low-level violence there was no sign of any appetite for a mass uprising to unseat the reelected President Robert Mugabe. "We are all disappointed and depressed about the...

Mugabe Victory Leaves West's Policy in Tatters
Britain and other western countries were left frustrated and impotent yesterday after Robert Mugabe formally declared that he had overwhelmingly won Zimbabwe's presidential election. The extent to which Mr Mugabe outmanoeuvered the west was made clear yesterday when southern African...

Mugabe hauls in his foes
MDC official on treason charge. Robert Mugabe's government seems to be paving the way to crack down on anyone it regards as opposition after the results of the presidential election are declared today.

Turnout pattern tells a story
'Secret' voters enough to tip the scales. Hours after foreign and international observers accused the Zimbabwe government of rigging the presidential ballot, Robert Mugabe was reaping the rewards of his "poisoned election".

Mugabe Wins Election
Opposition rejects result - Amnesty condemns detentions - Zanu-PF hails victory

Mugabe Heads for Victory in Flawed Poll
Zimbabwe's opposition leaders conceded early this morning that Robert Mugabe had won the presidential election as initial returns showed a significant swing in every constituency except Harare to the man who has ruled for 22 years. But even before the first results were announced, the...

Mugabe Rival Fears for His Life
Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, said yesterday that he feared for his life after the detention of his party's secretary general and hundreds of other activists as voting in the presidential election was called to a halt.

Go-slow tactics keep opposition away from ballot
The diehards stuck it out as a matter of principle, but the optimism that their vote might spell Robert Mugabe's doom had gone.

Voters Defiant in Mugabe Heartland
This may be President Robert Mugabe's stronghold but voters in Zimbabwe's rural areas are not likely to deliver the resounding endorsement he is expecting. Voters in the Muzarabani constituency braved gangs of Mr Mugabe's youth militia and intimidation from police and the Central...

'I Don't Care If They Beat Me. I'm Going to Vote for Change'
Andrew Meldrum watches as millions defy brutal attacks to vote. The poll could spell the end for Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe's embattled leader.

Voters blame the leader who can't feed his country
Robert Mugabe has warned the people of Matabeleland that a vote against him in this weekend's presidential election will bring 'fire' to their homes.

Opposition Relies on Huge Turnout to End Mugabe Era
Robert Mugabe's two-year campaign of political terror comes to a head today with a presidential election that will reveal whether Zimbabwe's voters have been induced to perpetuate his 22-year rule. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change is banking on a massive turnout during the...

Mugabe Would Welcome Coup If He Loses Election
Zimbabwe's ruling party has again raised the spectre of a military coup if President Robert Mugabe loses this weekend's election.

Opinion Poll Gives Tsvangirai Clear Lead
Robert Mugabe goes into the election in three days' time with nearly twice as many Zimbabweans saying they will vote for his main rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, as there are pledging to support the president who has ruled for 22 years. But the most revealing statistic of a new opinion poll is...

Mugabe Hands Poll to Army
New fears of election fix as military put in charge. Robert Mugabe has put Zimbabwe's army in charge of next weekend's presidential election and vote count, compounding fears that his government's campaign of mass intimidation will continue right up to the ballot box and that widespread vote tampering will be used to try to keep him in power.

Mugabe Tells Britain: You Can Go to Hell
On the eve of the Commonwealth summit the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, has lashed out at Tony Blair, telling him to "go to hell" for criticising him in the Commons. With one week to go before the presidential election, Mr Mugabe's invective against Britain is growing more ...

Blair Shuns Mugabe's Treason Claim
Tony Blair yesterday expressed revulsion at the behaviour of Robert Mugabe and dismissed treason charges against his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, as "deeply suspect".

Journalist Defends Integrity of Tsvangirai-video
The Australian journalist who broke the news of an alleged plot by Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, to kill his rival, President Robert Mugabe, last night defended his story - and the videotape on which it rests. Mark Davis, a television journalist who has won Australia's...

Mugabe Accuses 2 More of Treason
The Commonwealth is preparing to fudge the issue of Zimbabwe's suspension this weekend, in spite of Robert Mugabe's government yesterday filing fresh treason charges against the country's opposition party. The new charges were filed against two deputies of the leader of the Movement for...

Opposition Leader Charged With Plot to Kill Mugabe
The Zimbabwe opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was yesterday charged with treason - a crime punishable by death - as President Robert Mugabe fought tooth-and-nail to stay in power. As opinions polls showed Mr Mugabe trailing well behind Mr Tsvangirai in the run-up to the presidential...

Mugabe Opponent Charged With Treason
The head of Zimbabwe's opposition party was today charged with high treason, an offence punishable by death, over allegations he plotted to assassinate President Robert Mugabe. "I have been charged with high treason," said Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for...

Mugabe Offered Safe Passage
African leaders are negotiating with Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to arrange a safe passage out of the country for President Robert Mugabe if he loses the hotly contested presidential poll on March 9 and 10, according to diplomatic sources. Mr Tsvangirai is leading Mr...

EU Hits Mugabe With Sanctions
The European Union's confrontation with Zimbabwe entered a new and volatile stage last night when it slapped "smart sanctions" on the regime of President Robert Mugabe and withdrew its entire election observer mission. Meeting in Brussels, the EU's 15 foreign ministers decided...

EU Agonises Over Mugabe Sanctions
European Union foreign ministers face a tough decision today over whether to slap sanctions on Zimbabwe after President Robert Mugabe's government expelled the head of the EU election observer mission. Pierre Schori, the Swedish diplomat in charge of the team, was forced to leave Harare...

Mugabe Throws Out Eu Observer
A key European Union observer was kicked out of Zimbabwe last night in a move that looks set to trigger sanctions against President Robert Mugabe. Pierre Schori left on a night flight to London after being given until midnight to leave the country. He was heading a team of 30 European...

Mugabe Opponent Accused of Murder Plot
An Australian television documentary will today allege that Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was involved in a plot to assassinate his rival, President Robert Mugabe, before next month's election. The SBS Dateline documentary will broadcast surveillance video footage...

EU Defies Mugabe Over Poll Monitors
The European Union is defying an order by Zimbabwe that only nine of its 15 member states can take part in the mission observing next month's presidential elections. Pierre Schori, a diplomat from Sweden, one of the countries excluded by the Harare authorities, is due to arrive in...

Sunder Katwala: Mugabe's Final, Final Warning
The Commonwealth's inability to censure Zimbabwe brings the organisation's purpose into question, argues Sunder Katwala

Mugabe Wages War on Britain on Campaign Trail
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe kicked off his re-election campaign yesterday by attacking his main opponent, Morgan Tsvangirai, as "a puppet of Britain". Swooping into the rural crossroads of Mutawatawa in his white presidential helicopter, escorted by two army helicopters, he greeted...

The Good, the Bad, and Mugabe
The crisis surrounding Zimbabwe's forthcoming presidential election is increasingly like a scene from an old Hollywood western, says Simon Tisdall.

The cost of defying Mugabe
Themba G lives in a "killer house". The 28-year-old father of three small children fled his home in Magunje shortly before Christmas when a fellow opposition activist, Milton Chambati, was dragged out of a bar in the small town and had his throat slit and his head hacked off. Themba G...

Mugabe press bill invites sanctions
Robert Mugabe has virtually guaranteed that international sanctions will be imposed on Zimbabwe by pressing ahead with draconian legislation allowing his government to ban newspapers and stop journalists reporting. The government party, Zanu-PF, resubmitted its press bill to parliament...

International hunt for Mugabe family assets
Commonwealth, EU and US officials have begun investigating the overseas assets of Robert Mugabe, his family and close associates, in readiness for possible sanctions against Zimbabwe. EU foreign ministers meet on January 28 to decide if Mr Mugabe genuinely intends to hold free and fair...

Fight clean, neighbours tell Mugabe
Southern African leaders called yesterday for a free and fair presidential election in Zimbabwe, but made it clear that they are not prepared to follow the European Union and Washington in threatening sanctions against Robert Mugabe's regime. The one-day meeting in Malawi of leaders from...

Mugabe launches new salvo at Britain
Robert Mugabe has accused Britain of declaring war on his country ahead of a meeting today of southern African leaders today to discuss the escalating crisis in Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, the opposition in Harare accused Mr Mugabe of unleashing a new wave of terror in the run-up to the...

Mugabe declares war on dissent
Zimbabwe's presidential election campaign kicked off yesterday as Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party used its parliamentary majority to pass two controversial bills designed to stifle dissent. The general laws amendment bill bans independent election monitors and denies voting rights to...

Mugabe takes a stride into tyranny
Robert Mugabe last night called a presidential election for early March as his government illegally began to force through parliament the most repressive legislation of his 22 years in power, including draconian new security laws and curbs on the press. Just hours before the election...

UK threat to punish Mugabe
The British government announced for the first time yesterday that it favours punitive action against Zimbabwe as its president, Robert Mugabe, pushed ahead with a series of draconian measures that will restrict freedom. The foreign secretary, Jack Straw, told the Commons that he will...

Pro-Mugabe militias kill four rival activists
Militias which back Robert Mugabe are blamed for killing four members of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) during the past week, raising fears of a wave of state-sponsored murders before the presidential elections due in March. One MDC supporter, Milton Chambati, 45,...

Move to punish Mugabe
Commonwealth ministers at an emergency meeting in London yesterday took the first step towards punitive action against the Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, for human rights violations. Suspension of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth is an option for the first time. Ministers decided to...

Neighbour states give Mugabe their blessing
President Robert Mugabe's campaign to retain power and win re-election was endorsed yesterday by ministers from neighbouring states who ignored reports of political violence, chaotic land reform and media repression. In power for 21 years, Mugabe, 77, scheduled a vote in March, although...