London
12 April 2008
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned that the international community's patience with Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is running out. As Tendai Maphosa reports from London, Mr. Brown said he is "appalled" at the latest developments in the country.
In his strongest attack on the Zimbabwean leader since general elections in Zimbabwe two weeks ago, Prime Minister Brown said he does not understand why it is taking so long to announce the election result. Speaking on British television, Mr. Brown said he is appalled by signs that Mr. Mugabe is once again resorting to violence and intimidation.
"Brown is the world," he said. "Sure, the world is losing patience, but I know Brown is a little, tiny dot."
So far, Zimbabwe's electoral commission has announced only parliamentary results of the national elections two weeks ago.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has claimed victory over Mr. Mugabe in the presidential contest. State media have suggested that none of the candidates won a majority and that a second-round run-off will be necessary.
The MDC has now accused Mr. Mugabe of staging a coup d'etat. It has appealed to the High Court to force the commission to publish the election results.
A Zimbabwean High Court judge has said he will rule Monday on the appeal.