Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe yesterday shrugged off criticism of his controversial one candidate election win on the weekend, attending an African Union (AU) meeting in Sharm el Sheik, in Egypt. The 84-year-old leader, once venerated as a liberation hero, listened to speeches, some of which were critical of his policies. In general though, criticism from his fellow African leaders was muted.

The U.K.'s Times  described Mugabe as receiving a "leader's welcome" at the summit, dining in style with his Egyptian hosts while his opponent Morgan Tsvangirai remains holed up in Zimbabwe. Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) pulled out of the election after accusing Mugabe of waging war on the Zimbabwean people.

He dined at a lavish luncheon given by his Egyptian hosts, hugged heads of state and other diplomats in the corridors and stayed at the Peninsula Hotel, one of the most luxurious in this Red Sea town. "Mr Mugabe is staying there as a courtesy by the Egyptian Government," a hotel spokesman said. Delegates from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) lodged at the Sheraton, while their leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, remained in Zimbabwe.[source]

The U.N. Security Council yesterday condemned the party of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe for its repeated attacks on political opponents in the lead up to the country's run-off elections, a poll which U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said would be neither "free nor fair".

The Security Council reached its decision just hours after the news broke that the country's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), would not be contesting the election.

In a statement released on its website Sunday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said:

"We can't ask the people to cast their vote ... when that vote will cost their lives. We will no longer participate in this violent sham of an election," he said. "Mugabe has declared war, and we will not be part of that war."

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged the postponement of the poll saying the current circumstances was not a good sign for democracy in the region.