200806251817 | SADC emergency summit on Zimbabwe

SADC emergency summit on Zimbabwe

Dar Es Salaam - Southern African leaders will on Wednesday hold an emergency summit over the political crisis in Zimbabwe, the Tanzanian presidency said. The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) summit in the Swaziland capital Mbanane will discuss "the political crisis in Zimbabwe", it said in a statement.

"It will be attended by some SADC members as well as members of the bloc's security organ namely Swaziland, Angola and Tanzania."

Earlier on Tuesday, Zimbabwe's justice minister said the presidential run-off election would go ahead as planned despite opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai officially pulling out.

"The election will take place on Friday in accordance with our laws and constitution," Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa told AFP.

"Any withdrawal - verbal or written - is a nullity," he said, adding that if Tsvangirai had wanted to pull out of the race he should have done so 21 days before the first round of voting on March 29.