Mugabe thugs ‘chopped up wife of Zimbabwe opposition leader'

One report claimed the wife of an opposition leader had been 'chopped up' and buried after fighting the 84-year-old president's rule.

Election observers from across Africa are investigating reports of beatings and intimidation in the run-up to the 27 June election.

Bitter rivals: Followers of Mugabe are accused of 'horrendous' violence against supporters of presidential rival Morgan Tsvangirai, right

Marwick Khumalo, head of a 64-member Pan-African Parliament observer mission, said: 'We have heard so many horrendous stories. Now violence is at the top of the agenda of this electoral process, and that is regrettable.'

He added that independent observers had been taken to see the grave of a woman who was cut up, apparently by Mugabe supporters.

'Certain elements are indicating that there will be war,' he said. 'Beating the drums of war is not acceptable in any situation.'

Zimbabwe is going to the polls for a second time after the March presidential-election results were contested.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), led by Morgan Tsvangirai, claimed it had won more than 50 per cent of the vote against Mugabe's 43.8 per cent. But the regime authorities said that was not enough to secure a majority and called for the run-off.

Mugabe is now threatening war as he vows that the MDC will never take power.

Human rights groups say his police, soldiers and party militants have orchestrated widespread violence.

Mr Tsvangirai has been arrested five times in the past fortnight and his key aide, Tendai Biti, has been arrested and accused of treason.

Meeting: Thabo Mbeki before his meeting with Robert Mugabe

Other prominent African campaigners are showing increasing concern that the run-off will be neither free nor fair.

South Africa's ruling ANC leader Jacob Zuma said he did not expect a free presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe ahead of a meeting on Wednesday between President Thabo Mbeki and Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe.

Zuma, who has taken a much tougher line on Zimbabwe than Mbeki, used his bluntest language to date on the election.

'I think we'll be lucky if we have a free election,' Zuma said. When asked if he thought the vote would be fair, Zuma replied: 'I don't think so.'

In London, Gordon Brown said Zuma had told him he supported the deployment of 1,000 ANC monitors to observe the June 27 run-off election.

Mbeki has led regional mediation efforts in Zimbabwe and has drawn criticism for a diplomatic approach that has failed to end the crisis in the once prosperous country, where economic ruin has driven millions of people into neighbouring states.

The South African president would meet Mugabe in Zimbabwe's second biggest city Bulawayo on Wednesday, said Mbeki's spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga.

He arrived in the capital Harare around noon for a meeting with the South African High Commissioner before flying to Bulawayo for the meeting with Mugabe, Ratshitanga added.

South Africa's Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement the meeting between Mbeki and Mugabe would be a continuation of his mediation under a mandate from regional bloc SADC.

Zimbabwe's state-owned Herald newspaper said they would discuss the election and campaigns.

Zuma, who defeated Mbeki for the African National Congress leadership last December, has been much more outspoken than the president.

Mugabe, 84, has ruled since independence from Britain in 1980. His support has waned amid a desperate economic crisis that has brought hyperinflation and food shortages.

UN food agencies said on Wednesday that more than 5 million people in Zimbabwe risk going hungry by early next year as production of the staple maize in 2008 would be almost 30 percent lower than last year.

The food agency report released on Wednesday urged the government of Zimbabwe and international community to ensure emergency aid to farms to tackle chronic shortages expected by next January.

Britain and the United States urged Mugabe this week to allow a broader international observer mission. The biggest group is from SADC. Monitors from countries critical of Mugabe have been banned from observing the election.