'Zim under military rule'

Zimbabwe was being run by a military government and President Robert Mugabe had effectively pulled off an "unconstitutional coup" by not stepping down, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said on Thursday.

Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg, MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said that despite the election results not having been released 300 hours after the voting process, the MDC had won "beyond a reasonable doubt" with a margin higher than the initial reports of 50.3 percent.

He said Mugabe's term of office, and that of his cabinet, had expired on March 11.
"In reality President Robert Mugabe is a caretaker president. There is an illegitimate government in place in Zimbabwe."

Biti said constitutional rule had been abandoned, the election process had been aborted and the MDC had received a leaked report that military forces were being deployed across the country.

MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai had been briefed by senior Zimbabwean military and intelligence officials that the aim was not only to intimidate but to punish opponents of the regime.

"We will not accept that."

Biti said the people of the country were suffering and it would not take part in a run-off election.

"We won the presidential election hands down, without the need for a run off. It will simply exacerbate a situation of suffering of our people... a new government will have to get on with the business of governance."

Currently the life expectancy of women was 37 and the life expectancy of men 34. Biti said there had also been "a complete collapse" of public services.

"A run-off is a mere run over of people's rights."

Biti said Mugabe needed to be told that he should step down.

He said SADC countries would hold an urgent meeting in Lusaka on Saturday to discuss the crisis, but said the African Union and the United Nations was also watching the situation closely.

"Africa should not wait, Africa should say to Robert Mugabe: "You are not the solution, you are the problem," said Biti.

He said countries had historically been slow to react to the plight of suffering nations such as Rwanda.

"We cannot wait until dead bodies start littering Zimbabwe."

On Monday, the High Court in Harare is expected to give judgment on the urgent application by the MDC to release the results of the presidential election. - Sapa