Mugabe set to be declared winner

HARARE (Reuters) - President Robert Mugabe is expected tobe declared the winner of Zimbabwe's widely condemned electionon Sunday and prepare to confront his critics at an AfricanUnion summit the next day.

The West stepped up calls on Saturday for action to endMugabe's 28-year rule after he went ahead with Friday'spresidential run-off despite opposition leader MorganTsvangirai's withdrawal because of killings of his supporters.

"The Mugabe regime held a sham election," said U.S.President George W. Bush, adding Washington would impose newsanctions as well as urge the U.N. Security Council toimplement a travel ban on Zimbabwean officials and an armsembargo.

But although a number of African leaders have voiceddisquiet with Mugabe in the past few days, foreign ministerspreparing for the African Union summit in Egypt on Mondaysuggested the AU would not support Western calls for sanctions.

Mugabe, 84, accused by the West and the opposition of beingresponsible for Zimbabwe's political and economic crisis, hassaid he would go to the summit to challenge African leaders whohad been critical of him about their own behaviour in power.

Zimbabwean electoral officials said on Saturday they hopedto be able to announce the election result on Sunday. Mugabecould be sworn in within a few hours of the result.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 presidential poll butfailed to win the absolute majority required to avoid arun-off, according to the Electoral Commission's results.

He withdrew from the run-off a week ago and took refuge inthe Dutch embassy in Harare, saying almost 90 of his supportershad been killed by militias loyal to Mugabe.

"LANDSLIDE VICTORY"

Government sources said on Saturday Mugabe, a formerguerrilla leader who has been in power since independence fromBritain in 1980, seemed to be heading for a big election win.

"The tallies are indicating that despite the wishes of ourdetractors and the propaganda of our enemies, the voter turnoutwas very big and that we are going to see a landslide victory,"said one source, who declined to be identified.

On Friday, witnesses and election monitors reported that inmany areas people did not go to the polls. They said people insome places had been forced to vote for Mugabe.

Tsvangirai said millions stayed away from polling stationsdespite systematic intimidation.

Some AU foreign ministers preparing for Monday's summitsaid a power-sharing deal in Zimbabwe should be encouraged.

AU mediation helped form a power-sharing government inKenya earlier this year, ending a crisis in which 1,500 werekilled.

"I think we need to engage Zimbabwe. The route of sanctionsmay not be the helpful one," Kenyan Foreign Minister MosesWetangula told reporters.

Tsvangirai said last week he would not negotiate withMugabe if he went ahead with Friday's election.

South African President Thabo Mbeki has shown no sign ofchanging his policy of quiet diplomacy on Zimbabwe as thedesignated regional mediator or using South Africa'sconsiderable economic leverage with its landlocked neighbour.

Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said itwould lobby the AU to take a firm position for a change ofgovernment in Zimbabwe.

"We should not wait for rivers of blood and the completebreakdown of order," said MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa.

"President Mbeki has become part of the problem ... I don'tknow why he is trying to resurrect a regime that was rejectedby the people," said Chamisa.

Zimbabwe has descended into economic chaos withhyper-inflation estimated to have hit at least 2 millionpercent and scarce supplies of food and fuel.

Mugabe, who blames Western sanctions for the economic woesand the opposition for violence, accuses his African critics ofplaying into the hands of what he calls Britain's attempt torecolonise Zimbabwe.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Saturday thesituation in Zimbabwe had reached a new low. "We will work withinternational partners to find a way to close this sickeningchapter that has cost so many lives," he said.

(Additional reporting by Nelson Banya and MacDonaldDzirutwe in Harare, Marius Bosch in Johannesburg, Daniel Wallisand Cynthia Johnston in Sharm el Sheikh and Tabassum Zakaria inWashington; writing by Barry Moody and Paul Simao; editing byRalph Gowling)