Zimbabwe president says he will abide by court ruling, hold elections by July 31

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe's president says he will abide by a court ruling to hold elections before the end of July despite objections from his rivals.

President Robert Mugabe told the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corp. traveling with him on trip to Japan that he will convene polls "not later than July 31," state radio reported Sunday.

Mugabe said some members in a coalition with former opposition leader Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai want to delay the elections "to enjoy being in power" for longer, the radio said

The Constitutional Court, on Friday chided Mugabe for not calling elections linked to the dissolution of the parliament at the end of its current five year term on June 29.

Tsvangirai said electoral and democratic reforms demanded under the coalition agreement cannot be completed by July 31.