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| Zimbabwe sets March date for poll | Zimbabwe sets March date for poll |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Zimbabwe is to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on 29 March, the government has announced. | Zimbabwe is to hold presidential and parliamentary elections on 29 March, the government has announced. |
| President Robert Mugabe has been confirmed as his party's candidate. | President Robert Mugabe has been confirmed as his party's candidate. |
| The opposition is threatening to boycott the elections unless it gets guarantees they will be free and fair at talks with Mr Mugabe's party. | The opposition is threatening to boycott the elections unless it gets guarantees they will be free and fair at talks with Mr Mugabe's party. |
| Recent elections have been characterised by violence against the opposition and accusations of rigging - charges denied by Mr Mugabe. | |
| On Wednesday, police used tear gas to disperse a banned march staged by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). | |
| In December, the government promised to relax tough security laws, which have been used to hinder MDC campaigning. | |
| Economic woes | |
| The MDC and Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF are holding talks mediated by South Africa in an effort to end the political impasse. | |
| The opposition wants constitutional changes to be enacted before the elections are held. | |
| They had been expected in March. | |
| Zimbabwe is suffering from an acute economic crisis, which Mr Mugabe's critics blame on his seizure of white-owned farms. | |
| He says he is the victim of an international plot intended to bring him down. | |
| Earlier this month, the BBC was told that former Finance Minister Simba Makoni would challenge Mr Mugabe, either from within Zanu-PF and be launching a breakaway party. |