afrol News, 26 June - Kenyan government has joined international calls urging Zimbabwe to postponement Friday's presidential run-off saying unfavourable conditions would hamper free and fair polls.

Kenya has expressed concerns on current political tension in Zimbabwe with President Robert Mugabe's regime having mounted a massive campaign of violence against opposition leading to opposition candidate, Mr Morgan Tsvangirai having to withdraw form the run-off race.

Despite Mr Tsvangirai official withdrawal from the race, officials have termed his move illegal as he failed to follow constitutional procedures.

Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang'ula urged African Union to take a firm stand on Zimbabwean crisis saying if a need may arise for deployment of peacekeeping mission, it should be done.

Mr Tsvangirai who defeated Mr Mugabe on 29 March presidential elections, but failed to get majority votes saw his supporter being tortured and killed including his crucial party member being detained by Zimbabwean government.

Mr Odinga and Mr Wetang'ula said run off polls should be postponed until favourable conditions prevail in the country, further observing ruling Zanu PF is going to elections with pre determined outcome.

They also mentioned their government was ready to evacuate 550 Kenyans in Zimbabwe, if tensions continued.

Mr Odinga also urged SADC to appoint a mediator if Zimbabwean elections would resume tomorrow, saying a supervisory team is needed to facilitate dialogue in the troubled Zimbabwe, warning that if no action is taken urgently, the situation could worsen.

Kenyan Daily Nation quoted Mr Odinga saying:"Mr Mugabe wants dialogue but not at this point because he knows that he lost the first round of the election to his opponent. If negotiations start now, Mr Mugabe knows that he goes in as the outsider.

He further observed that Mr Mugabe wants to go through a flawed electoral process and then declare himself president, saying that was not acceptable.

Mr Wetang'ula said Kenyan government supported dialogue as the first move to settle the crisis. He, however, added that Kenya would support the AU to the end in whatever decision would be made.

Commonwealth secretariat has also issued a statement noting its concerns that run-off could not take place in conditions that are not assuring Zimbabweans of the opportunity to express their will freely and exercise their democratic right.

International community bodies and leaders have in a once off move changed from cushioned diplomacy on Zimbabwe, throwing naked facts on Mr Mugabe to refrain from his hardline stance.

Since March polls over 60 MDC supporters have been killed and hundreds of thousand displaced fearing attacks allegedly perpetrated by President Mugabe regime.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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