The Wire

Zimbabweans get to vote again later next week… but it’s looking very unlikely indeed that Robert Mugabe will be allowed to lose. It’s being reported that military are cracking down on supporters of the opposition in the leadup to the run off election, and independent observers won’t be welcome. Michael Darby is an Australian activist who maintains website on Zimbabwean issues and is in constant contact with friends over there. He says the latest is that the number of observers for the coming election has been reduced from fifty thousand to ten thousand .