Zimbabwe election ignites dispute over democracy

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The re-election of another autocratic African leader in a vote dogged by accusations of rigging and violence has reignited an argument between Western and African leaders over democracy, colonialism and the continent's future.

President Robert Mugabe's purported victory in the first competitive presidential election in Zimbabwe's history was quickly welcomed by African leaders such as President Daniel arap Moi of Kenya and President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania.

"You have been firm defending the inalienable right of the people of your country to free, democratic and sovereign governance," Mkapa wrote Mugabe. "Your firmness was good for all of Africa."

But while the Organization of African Unity proclaimed the election "transparent, credible, free and fair," President Bush declared the United States would no longer do business with Mugabe, and the Commonwealth of Britain and its former colonies suspended Zimbabwe for one year.

Irregular voting

The March 9-11 vote is the latest in a series of controversial elections in Zambia, Uganda, Zanzibar, Gambia, Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali, Togo and Madagascar. Those elections have been marred by irregularities and have tended to divide Western and African governments over the nature of democracy.

African governments have consistently disagreed with their former colonial powers about what makes a fair election, arguing that Western standards should not apply to the continent.

Zimbabwe, like many African countries, has laws that make it illegal to criticize the president and require police permission for political meetings. State-run media rarely carry positive reports on the opposition.