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Mugabe makes first appearance
03/04/2008 14:03 - (SA)
Harare - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe made his first public appearance on Thursday since weekend polls when he met election observers from the African Union, footage on state television showed.
A smiling Mugabe did not make any comment in the brief footage in which he appeared alongside former Sierra Leone president Ahmed Tejan Kabbah.
Kabbah was the head of the African Union mission which monitored the joint parliamentary and presidential elections held on Saturday.
While there has still been no word on the outcome of the presidential ballot, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has already won control of parliament.
In an interview with the television, Kabbah said Mugabe appeared "relaxed" during their meeting.
"He looked very relaxed. He is of the view that the problems facing the country will be resolved amicably. He hopes the rest of the results will be forthcoming," he said.
Kabbah also played down criticism from Western governments and from the opposition over the delay in announcing the results.
"We discussed the fact that Zimbabwe is leading the world in terms of elections ... It's the business of the people of Zimbabwe to decide whom they want."
He also revealed that he had earlier met with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai who believes he has beaten Mugabe in the presidential election.
"Tsvangirai also had some good words to say about the president," said Kabbah, without giving further details.
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Zimbabwe Special Report
