Zimbabwe's opposition claimed victory on Wednesday over Robert Mugabe in presidential elections, as official results showed the veteran leader's ruling party had lost its parliamentary majority.

As state media predicted a run-off between Mugabe and his arch rival Morgan Tsvangirai, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition said its own calculations showed party leader Tsvangirai had passed the 50 percent threshold for outright victory.

But the MDC's pre-emptive announcement, which came before any declaration by the official electoral commission on the presidential contest, was swiftly condemned by the Mugabe government.

Diplomatic sources meanwhile said there were intensive behind-the-scenes efforts to persuade Mugabe, who has overseen the ex-British colony's decline from regional model to economic basketcase, to depart the scene peacefully.
full story from IOL here
"overseen the ex-British colony's decline from regional model to economic basketcase"

Ouch! That's got to hurt.