Zimbabwe Voting Flaws Excused as Mugabe’s Peers Close Ranks

Southern African leaders sealed Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s victory in elections the opposition said was rigged, underscoring the limits of regional efforts to uphold democracy.

The 15-nation Southern African Development Community and the African Union glossed over complaints from Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, that the electoral roll and voting process were manipulated. The U.S., U.K., European Union and domestic observers said irregularities had compromised the credibility of the election.