World's patience with Mugabe beginning to wear thin, says Brown

It is now two weeks since Zimbabwe went to the elections and Mugabe has, incredibly, still not released the figures for the presidential election.

Now, eventually, Gordon Brown has spoken, telling Mugabe that the world is losing patience with his regime.

On the eve of a summit of African leaders in Zambia to discuss the crisis, Brown said: "The Zimbabwean people have demonstrated their commitment to democracy. We, and the leaders of the region, strongly share this commitment.

"I cannot understand why it is taking so long to announce the result of the presidential elections. I am appalled by the signs that the regime is once again resorting to intimidation and violence.

"We will be vigilant. The international community will remain careful to do nothing to undermine efforts to secure an outcome that reflects the democratic will of the people of Zimbabwe. But the international community's patience with the regime is wearing thin."

It is unlikely that Mugabe will pay any attention to anything that Brown has to say. Indeed, the interference of the UK might actually stiffen his resolve as he has camapigned by claiming that he represents the only way to prevent British interference in Zimbabwe, even though such a thing is almost nonexistent.

And, already, there are reports that Mugabe is once again resorting to violence to overturn the democratic vote.

Amnesty International said there were widespread incidents of violence in Zimbabwe "suggesting the existence of coordinated retribution against known and suspected opposition supporters".

Amnesty called on SADC leaders to redouble efforts to avoid further deterioration of the human rights situation and urge the electoral commission to release the results.

Human Rights Watch said the Lusaka meeting was SADC's "last real chance" to resolve the crisis in Zimbabwe. The US-based body also accused Zanu-PF of increasing assaults on opposition activists and polling agents.

Human Rights watch are not the only people hanging their hopes on the summit of African leaders in Zambia to resolve this situation. However, there are now hints that Mugabe intends to boycott the meeting.

Members of the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) are meeting on Saturday in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, to discuss Zimbabwe's post-election deadlock.

But in an apparent snub to the SADC and Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, Zimbabwean state radio said President Mugabe would be represented by three ministers.

Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga had earlier said the summit had been "called without consultation with the Zimbabwean government".

But Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that Mr Mugabe would, after all, attend the SADC meeting.

Kofi Annan summed it up best when he said that Zimbabwe stood "on the brink". Indeed, it does. And it's very hard to know what way it's all going to go.

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Tags: Gordon Brown, Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe