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Zimbabwe set for opposition rally Zimbabwe opposition to hold rally
(about 12 hours later)
Zimbabwe's opposition says it will go ahead with a rally in the capital, Harare, on Sunday, after a court overturned a police ban. Zimbabwe's opposition is due to stage a rally in the capital, Harare, after a court overturned a police ban.
The Movement for Democratic Change says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, plans to attend the march, which comes ahead of a presidential run-off vote on Friday. The Movement for Democratic Change says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, plans to attend the march, which comes ahead of a presidential run-off vote on 27 June.
The MDC plans to decide on Monday whether to compete in the poll, saying at least 70 of its supporters have been killed in the run-up to the vote.
President Robert Mugabe has accused the MDC of lying about political violence.President Robert Mugabe has accused the MDC of lying about political violence.
South Africa has sent two mediators in what a BBC correspondent says may be a final effort to prevent the poll. On Saturday, the High Court overturned the police ban on the opposition's rally in Harare, the MDC said.
No-one, including South African President Thabo Mbeki, thinks the election is going to be free or fair, or will help solve Zimbabwe's problems, says the BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg.
Mr Mbeki was in Harare himself only a few days ago, where he tried to persuade both Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai to set up a government of national unity instead.
Secret campaign
The opposition plans to decide on Monday whether to compete in the election at all, fearing a further escalation in violence and saying it is nearly impossible to campaign.
The MDC has filed court appeals against police bans on a series of opposition gatherings.
Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British President Robert Mugabe Your questions answered'Raped for opposing Mugabe'Send us your commentsOnly God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British President Robert Mugabe Your questions answered'Raped for opposing Mugabe'Send us your comments
Its secretary general, Tendai Biti, is in custody accused of treason, and the party says its members have been beaten, and its supporters evicted from their homes, forcing it to campaign in near secrecy. "But... the court order came late in the afternoon, and we have no access to the media and we are not allowed to go around mobilising our supporters," George Sibotshiwe, a spokesman for Mr Tsvangirai, told the BBC.
It says at least 70 of its supporters have been killed. "But we are defiant and we'll go through with the rally regardless," he added.
However, correspondents say that in the past, police have still found reasons to block such rallies, so there is no guarantee at this stage that the MDC will be able to hold the march.
'Damn lie!'
On Saturday, South Africa sent two mediators to Harare, just days after its President, Thabo Mbeki, went to Zimbabwe himself, for separate talks with Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai.
The BBC's Peter Biles in Johannesburg says this is possibly a last ditch effort to persuade Mr Mugabe to cancel the election run-off, and to persuade both sides to begin negotiation on a government of national unity.
President Mugabe blames the opposition for violence
It is widely accepted that in the present circumstances, with serious political violence, the election will not resolve Zimbabwe's problems, our correspondent adds.
The MDC says its members have been beaten, and its supporters evicted from their homes, forcing it to campaign in near secrecy. the party's secretary general, Tendai Biti, is in custody accused of treason.
Mr Mugabe was quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper as saying that the MDC was making such claims "so that they can later say the elections were not free and fair. Which is a damn lie!"Mr Mugabe was quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper as saying that the MDC was making such claims "so that they can later say the elections were not free and fair. Which is a damn lie!"
The president told supporters at a campaign rally in the southern city of Bulawayo on Friday that he would "never allow an event like an election to reverse our independence, our sovereignty."The president told supporters at a campaign rally in the southern city of Bulawayo on Friday that he would "never allow an event like an election to reverse our independence, our sovereignty."
"Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British," he said."Only God who appointed me will remove me - not the MDC, not the British," he said.
Mr Mugabe has accused the MDC of acting in the interest of Britain, the former colonial power, and other Western countries.Mr Mugabe has accused the MDC of acting in the interest of Britain, the former colonial power, and other Western countries.
Advertisement 'Criminal cabal'
Zanu-PF supporters filmed by US embassy staff in Harare township Zimbabwe's other immediate neighbours have also added their voices to increasing international concern over the validity of the run-off.
New footage emerged on Friday, shot by US embassy staff, showing ruling party militias armed with sticks apparently hunting for MDC supporters in a township in the capital, Harare. Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, one of Mr Mugabe's closest allies, earlier this week urged him to stop the violence.
Zimbabwe's immediate neighbours have added their voice to increasing international concern over the validity of the run-off. Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, head of an election monitoring team, has told the BBC that violence appeared to be "escalating throughout Zimbabwe".
On Friday Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, one of Mr Mugabe's closest allies, urged him to stop the violence. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that Africa must take the lead in resolving the crisis.
Tanzanian Foreign Minister Bernard Membe, head of an election monitoring team, told the BBC earlier this week that violence appeared to be "escalating throughout Zimbabwe". "The whole world is seeing violence in Zimbabwe, organised by this criminal cabal around Robert Mugabe that is preventing the elections taking place in a free and fair way," Mr Brown said on Sunday.
Nigerian Nobel-winning writer Wole Soyinka told the BBC that Mr Mugabe had ruined Zimbabwe with a "scorched earth policy" and that Zimbabweans were primed to "throw off this yoke by all means necessary". "I think the Africans must lead in a settlement to the Zimbabwean problem. And what we're seeing round Zimbabwe is almost every African leader now coming out and saying very clearly that the violence is unacceptable," he added.
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