I really don’t know what to write about MDC’s decision not to contest Friday’s run-off - they really were between a rock and a hard place, but with so much already endured by their supporters I would have thought they’d see the process through, regardless of how the odds were stacked against them.  Tsvangirai is promising details of the party’s next steps later in the week - the only option I can see for them now is to try and make use of the lack of legitimacy that any new Mugabe-led government will have to form their own “government-in-exile” (and let’s face it, it will have to be in exile if any of its members are to live longer than a few days) and try to force the situation forward through that.

It’s pleasing that more African nations are now speaking out - but that’s really all they can do.  It’s really not a pleasant situation.

MDC’s announcement has at least put Zimbabwe back at the top of the news, at least here in the UK.  There’s been a lengthy discussion on the subject on BBC Radio Five this morning - it’s still ongoing as I write this, but once done it’ll be available to stream through the BBC’s Listen Again service for the next week.  Well worth a listen.