Zimbabwe opposition leader claims presidential poll win

Published on Monday 31 March 2008 10:17

ZIMBABWEAN opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has taken 60 per cent of votes in the country's election, it was reported today.

His tally is double that of President Robert Mugabe, the opposition MDC party said today, quoting unofficial tallies.

The latest official results released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission showed the MDC and Mugabe's Zanu-PF runnning neck-and-neck with 12 seats each from a total parliament of 210 constituencies.

No official presidential results have been issued so far.

Election monitors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said six Cabinet ministers had lost their seats, including some leading members of Mugabe's inner circle. Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa is one of those said to have lost his seat.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) secretary general Tendai Biti told a news conference: "From the 128 constituencies whose results we have calculated so far, we have 96 out of the 128 parliamentary seats and Morgan Tsvangirai is at 60 per cent, Robert Mugabe is at 30 per cent."

A delay in declaring the outcome, when some initial results are said to have been known as early as Saturday night, heightened fears of rigging and brought security forces on to the streets.

An opposition spokesman said: "We'll give Mugabe time to accept defeat."

Western diplomats reported that many younger army officers showed open defiance of orders to vote for Mugabe.

The first results were announced in an early-morning broadcast on radio and television by the deputy chief elections officer, Utoile Silaigwana. Then he went off the air saying: "We'll be back when we have more results."

Noel Kututwa, head of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which includes civic, church and other groups, said: "Clearly the delay is fuelling speculation that something might be going on."

Running against Mugabe were Tsvangirai, 55, who narrowly lost disputed 2002 elections, and former ruling party loyalist and finance minister Simba Makoni, 58.

If no presidential candidate wins 50 per cent plus one vote, there will be a run-off.

Security and government officials loyal to Mugabe have warned Tsvangirai against declaring a victory. "It is called a coup d'etat and we all know how coups are handled," presidential spokesman George Charamba was quoted as saying in the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper.

Judge George Chiweshe, chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, was forced to flee from a Harare hotel yesterday after he was mobbed by journalists and local people.

"This has been a more complicated election," Chiweshe said. "We will be releasing the results as soon as we can."

He said it was taking time because Zimbabweans – for the first time – voted for president, the two houses of Parliament and local councillors, so four ballots had to be counted for each voter.

Downing Street today called for "clarity" as soon as possible in results of the elections.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman said there should not be "undue delay" in announcing the outcome.