The Guardian reports: “Following the party’s electoral reverses, senior aides to the Zimbabwean president approached the MDC.

They said Mugabe was prepared to step down in return for an amnesty from prosecution for crimes such as the Matebeleland massacres in the 1980s and other guarantees.

However, it was unclear whether the approach was a delaying tactic while Mugabe weighed up his options under considerable pressure from different factions within Zanu-PF’s politburo.”