There is now no doubt – if any had remained – that Robert Mugabe will “win” Friday’s presidential run-off in Zimbabwe. The withdrawal of Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, guarantees that this brutal dictator who has shamed Africa and bludgeoned the political opposition to death will stay in power. Mr Mugabe is waging a horrific terror campaign against his people and has stolen an election. Zimbabwe’s neighbours, led by South Africa, have tolerated this tyranny for too long. They should refuse to recognise his re-election.

Mr Tsvangirai’s decision to pull out of the contest is unfortunate but understandable. Many of the party’s grassroots supporters would have run the risk of being killed by gangs of pro-Mugabe thugs had they tried to monitor polling stations. Nearly 90 are said to have been killed already. That Mr Tsvangirai himself was on Monday reported to have sought refuge overnight in the Dutch embassy suggests that worse is to come.