African press mulls Zimbabwe future

Morgan Tsvangirai at a press conference in Harare announcing his withdrawal from the presidential runoff election

Zimbabwe's own papers have stayed silent over Tsvangirai's announcement

Africa's newspapers are discussing what could be in store for Zimbabwe following opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai's decision to pull out of the presidential run-off election.

One South African daily says the world now has to make it clear to Zimbabwe's President Mugabe that it will not accept him declaring himself a winner in the run-off. Another says it is now time for "radical diplomacy" to find a solution, with Britain as the principle negotiator.

Zimbabwe's own papers remain silent on the political implications of Mr Tsvangirai's announcement, with the government-owned daily focusing on his alleged criminal activity.

EDITORIAL IN SOUTH AFRICA'S CAPE TIMES

Now [South African President Thabo] Mbeki - backed by the region, Africa and the rest of the world - has to make clear to Mugabe that if he goes ahead and declares himself the winner and therefore the president, Sadc [Southern African Development Community], the African Union and the United Nations will simply not recognise him or his government.

PETER FABRICIUS IN SOUTH AFRICA'S CAPE TIMES

Overall, one senses that the region and Africa are evolving politically and economically and feel that this octogenarian [Robert Mugabe], who does not know his time has passed, is dragging them down.

HEIDI HOLLAND IN SOUTH AFRICA'S STAR

A creative new approach to the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe may yet bring peace to a long-troubled country. But it will require bold diplomacy. The successful outcome to new, admittedly radical diplomacy will almost certainly require Britain's participation as the principal negotiator, presumably in alliance with ... Sadc, since Mugabe is adamant that his quarrel is with the former colonial power rather than with the United Nations or the US.

MAHOROU KANAZOE IN BURKINA FASO'S LE PAYS

The withdrawal by Morgan Tsvangirai, which takes away with it any interest in the presidential election, was almost inevitable - such is the extent to which the confrontation between the two parties resembled anything but an electoral campaign. The extremist character of both camps had ended up by turning Zimbabwe into a war camp.

EDITORIAL IN BURKINA FASO'S L'OBSERVATEUR PAALGA

Tsvangirai's withdrawal opens the way for Mugabe to an easy victory - cheap as it is. Mugabe will therefore have won without peril and triumphed without glory.

EDITORIAL IN ALGERIA'S LA TRIBUNE

In order to save his reign [Mugabe] can only accept the terms of a government of national union proposed by South African President Thabo Mbeki. But old man Mugabe has rejected this form of sharing because he feels that he has a divine mission. Does God really like having immortals in power to this point?

CAESAR ZVAYI IN ZIMBABWE'S HERALD

The similarities between Tsvangirai and [US President] Bush are numerous, they are startling. Both men have a predilection for crime, Tsvangirai having had several brushes with the law for treason stretching back to allegations of spying for Apartheid South Africa in 1989, and Bush of drunk driving. Both failed their nation when it needed them most.

BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.