Zimbabwe's opposition leader accused President Thabo Mbeki yesterday of lobbying for Robert Mugabe to be recognised as head of state after staging a one-man election.

Zimbabwe's opposition leader accused President Thabo Mbeki yesterday of lobbying for Robert Mugabe to be recognised as head of state after staging a one-man election.

In an interview with the Sunday Times MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Mbeki wanted fellow African leaders to recognise his old ally Mugabe as Zimbabwe's legitimate leader.

Mebeki's aim was to ensure that his widely-criticised mediation efforts could make progress.

Though Western leaders have dismissed Friday's run-off election as a sham, Mbeki has so far made no comment since and flew on Saturday to Egypt ahead of an African Union summit that Mugabe is set to attend.

"I have received information that President Mbeki is lobbying at the AU to have that position, that Mugabe is president, taken," Tsvangirai said. - Sapa-AFP