Zimbabwe has banned observers from Western countries from monitoring elections later this month, BBC online reports Friday.
Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi said African countries would be allowed to send monitors, as would allies such as China, Iran and Venezuela.
Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe, 84, says that Western countries are trying to remove him from government. Two credible challengers are running against Mr Mugabe in the 29 March poll – Simba Makoni and Morgan Tsvangirai.
Mr Tsvangirais faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said the move showed the government had “a lot to hide”.
– If everything was being done in a fair and transparent manner, there would be no need to exclude other countries. Those who have been invited will hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil and endorse a flawed election, the MDCs Innocent Gonese said.
A regional body, the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), will be one of the main observer groups for the polls.
