HARARE, April 13: Zimbabwe’s opposition challenged on Sunday a recount of votes it said was loaded towards Robert Mugabe’s party, as rigging allegations were traded and regional leaders failed to stem the deepening post-election crisis.

State media reported overnight that 23 out of Zimbabwe’s 210 constituencies would be recounted next Saturday, three weeks after general election. The result of the presidential poll is still to be announced.

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said it was mounting a legal challenge to the recount order, which in theory could lead to President Mugabe’s ruling party regaining control of parliament.

At an emergency summit in Lusaka, Southern African leaders discussed the post-election impasse long into the night, but were always unlikely to find a swift solution after Mugabe decided to stay away.

They stopped short of criticising the Zimbabwean government or Mugabe, who was not even mentioned in a four-page joint statement.—AFP