June 30, 2008
PRESIDENTS BOB & SELLAPAN
Presidents Bob & Sellapan.
$ingapore’s “elected” president Sellapan Ramanathan or SR Nathan is serving his second six-year term as president. He was not directly elected by the people, but became the president by virtue of being the sole candidate deemed qualified by the Presidential Elections Committee. HE HAS NEVER BEEN ELECTED. He earns a basic salary of S$3,187,100.
June 29: Robert Mugabe has been sworn in for a new five-year term as Zimbabwe’s president after election officials declared a landslide victory for him.
Results showed Mr Mugabe won 85% of the vote, but many ballots were spoiled. After the ceremony, Mr Mugabe called for talks with the opposition, whose leader withdrew from the run-off vote citing violence against his supporters.
But southern African election observers said the poll had “failed to reflect the will of the people”.
A statement from the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) said that pre-election violence and intimidation of voters had “impinged the credibility of the vote”.
Morgan Tsvangirai, who refused to attend the inauguration, said Mr Mugabe now had no option but to negotiate. In a BBC interview, Mr Tsvangirai - the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) - said that any negotiation should be based on the result of the first round vote held in March.
Mr Tsvangirai won with 47.9% against 43.2% for Mr Mugabe, falling just short of an outright majority.
He withdrew from the run-off contest last week but his name remained on ballot papers after Zimbabwe’s electoral authorities refused to accept his decision.
His party has described Mr Mugabe’s appointment as “an absolute joke” as he did not have the mandate of the people. The hastily organised ceremony confirmed Mr Mugabe’s sixth term as president - extending his 28 years in power. - BBC
Full report http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7479853.stm