Matthews: Mugabe should quit

9.31.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 30th Jun 2008

Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe has used force on his own people to secure another 5 years as President of Zimbabwe. On Sunday, Zimbabwe election officials declared Robert Mugabe the winner of Friday's - uncontested - presidential poll.

The latest poll follows the original election in March, whose official results were not announced until May 2008. That poll - widely believed to have been rigged - showed that Mr. Mugabe lost in the first round, getting 43.2% of the votes for his Zanu-PF Party against 47.9% for Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC). As no candidate secured the final win in the first round, the presidential run-off was needed, although the opposition MDC and many external observers called the results "daylight robbery", claiming an outright victory in the first round with 50.3% of the votes.

Morgan Tsvangirai initially agreed to a presidential run-off with Robert Mugabe, but later withdrew, citing violence targeted at his campaign. He complained that the elections were pointless, as the outcome would be determined by Mugabe himself.

Neil Matthews, Parliamentary Spokesman for Folkestone and Hythe, said:

"Enough is enough. Mugabe has overseen the murder, beatings and intimidation to make sure he stays in power. Inflation in Zimbabwe is now running into terrifyingly high figures and the people are truly suffering.

"African leaders should use their meeting in Egypt this week to unequivocally denounce the results of the presidential election in Zimbabwe as a sham. The African leaders must cease to recognise Mugabe as Zimbabwe's head of state. Only then will Mugabe consider standing down".

Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg said:

"After this grotesque electoral charade, the African community must not lose a second in refusing to recognise Robert Mugabe, and making clear to him that they will take whatever steps necessary to evict him from power.

"President Mbeki's reluctance to rein in Robert Mugabe is both unacceptable and inexplicable.

"The British Government and international community must move fast to agree upon the widest possible range on international sanctions and signal a willingness to help with the burgeoning refugee crisis.

"Gordon Brown should announce immediately that he will waive the normal asylum procedures and allow Zimbabweans fleeing Mugabe's regime to live and work here until they can return home."