Mugabe snubs African summit as Zimbabwe tensions rise

ROBERT Mugabe, Zimbabwe's embattled leader, yesterday backed out of an African summit at which he was expected to face calls to release his country's election results.

Meanwhile, in signs of growing tension, Zimbabwean police banned all political rallies amid reports of calls for a general strike against the government.

State radio said three ministers, but not Mr Mugabe, would attend this weekend's summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Elsewhere, Morgan Tsvangerai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change – which claims it won both the parliamentary and presidential polls – met Thabo Mbeki, the South African president, and urged him to persuade Mr Mugabe to step down, aides said.

Mr Mbeki is to attend the SADC summit, hosted by Levy Mwanawasa, Zambia's president and the only southern African leader to have criticised Mr Mugabe's policies publicly.