King Stubby

HARARE, Zimbabwe - President Robert Mugabe was preparing to be sworn in for a new term Sunday and extend his nearly three decades as Zimbabwe's ruler, claiming victory in a violent and widely discredited runoff election.

Ministry of Information officials told reporters to be at the presidential residence for the Sunday afternoon inauguration ceremony before results from Friday's runoff had even been announced.

Attempts to reach government spokesmen for comment were not immediately successful.

African and other world leaders had condemned the election, in which Mugabe was the only candidate. It followed a campaign that saw opposition supporters targeted by brutal state-sponsored violence, human rights groups said.

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