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President Robert Mugabe’s party declared today that there would be a runoff between the veteran leader and Morgan Tsvangirai, the head of the opposition - in defiance of the official verification process.
Bright Matonga, the Deputy Information Commissioner, said today: “As far as I’m concerned, there is going to be a runoff. We have got our own results.”
His statement came as representatives from the main parties met in a Harare hotel to begin comparing their results from the presidential poll, which the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) said would pave the way for an official tally to be released.
But the process was marred by Mr Matonga's statement, which suggested that Mr Mugabe's Zanu PF party was gearing up for a bruising electoral run-off without thought to the official results.
Senior government officials officials leaked results yesterday which apparently handed victory to Mr Tsvangirai – but not by enough votes to win outright.
According to the leaks, Mr Tsvangirai won 47 per cent of the vote against Mr Mugabe’s 43 per cent. He needed more than 50 per cent to avoid a second round.
Mr Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) claimed to have won 50.3 per cent of the vote based on results published at polling stations.
But a month after the March 29 poll the official tally has still not been released, prompting accusations of vote rigging against the government.
Mr Matonga would not say whether the leaked results were correct or give details about the Zanu PF party’s own figures. But he maintained that no one won the 50 per cent vote needed to avoid a runoff.
Individual polling stations have posted results, allowing parties and others to compile their own tallies while the nation awaits official results from the ZEC.
In Johannesburg yesterday, Mr Tsvangirai’s spokesman reiterated that the opposition would not take part in a runoff because it believed only fraudulent results would deny the MDC outright victory.
“If Robert Mugabe cannot accept the real results now, what’s the guarantee he’ll accept the real results after a runoff?” George Sibotshiwe said.
The MDC said in a statement today that 20 of its activists had been killed in the last month. Independent rights groups in Zimbabwe have given more conservative tolls, but they also have said not all deaths have been reported.
The main trade union federation claimed that two schoolteachers were beaten to death in the latest wave of violence.
“We have received bad news. As we speak two teachers have been killed, beaten to death,” Wellington Chibebe, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), said at a May Day rally at a stadium in Harare today.
Mr Chibebe, whose movement is closely allied to the main opposition, said the two had been killed at a school in the northwestern Guruve region.
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@ Dave, we bother to show that we can. If Zimbabwe wants democracy, it has to persist with the process democratically.
That includes international diplomacy and the UN. It includes keeping records of crimes (not people we hate).
NB Results not announced yet - they are still counting!
Jo, Olney, UK
Rome is burning and the powers that be are fiddling - AGAIN!!!
Perhaps Rwanda and the Congo weren't quite plain enough. They let these madmen think they're bullet proof. Quit dithering and DO SOMETHING!!!! Bunch of big girls' blouses.
Susan, Texas, USA
Same reason we do it in the United States. To perpetuate the idea that the people are in charge.
Marius, San Jose, USA
Zimbabwe needs to get rid of Mugabe, by ANY MEANS NECCESARY.
Erik, Chicago, United States
The courage of the people of Zimbabwe merit the Nobel Peace Prize. Denials of crimes against humanity by Zanu/PF are a malignant tumour subverting reason and humanity within the UN, SADC and AU - making inevitable an epic international confrontation.
Mark, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
We keep saying things have got to get worse before they get better. Last year I thought we'd reached that point. I was going to say that we've reached the point now, but I think it's going to get horrific in the next few months - Mugabe's theme song (from BTO) - "...you 'aint seen nothing yet! "
Gandanga, QLD, Australia
Seriously, why can't Mugabe's plane get shot down the next time he flys to Europe / States for a convention?
Blame it on Al Qaeda shooting him down to make it look like the Imperialist west did it - and jobs a good un, no more Mugabe, and a little less support for Al Qaeda because "they" killed him
Nicholas Bartle, Normanton, West Yorkshire
The main question for Mugabe is: what happens he loses power? Best case scenario, he'll end up on trial either in Zimbabwe or in an International Court. Worst case scenario, he'll get some form of swift justice. So he has every incentive to cling to power by every means and none to give it up.
Stewart, Beijing,
So tell me, somebody, please, exactly what else does Mugabe have to do that he hasn't already done in order to qualify for crimes against humanity, unless of course the good folks of Zimbabwe don't count as 'humanity'??
John L. Henry, Vancouver, Canada
I dont understand Mbeki. During apatheid, he advocated the imposition of sanctions against SA. Now its a black leader persecuting his own people & he advocates quiet diplomacy. This is rubbish. The world must stand as one in denouncing this despot who is in the same league as Hitler, Stalin & Mobutu
Mugochi, Masvingo, Zimbabwe
What a shame there's no oil in Zimbabwe. If there was we know that other nations would rush to "protect" them. How can we talk about human rights and allow these attrocities to continue!
Mandy, Adelaide, Australia
Papa Mugabe is teaching junior Mbeki what to do next....
Viktorovich, Moscow, RF
Why go for an election if Mugabe knows he wont step down even if he loses? All that is left is for the international world to help Zimbabweans remove him by force! Why should the MDC risk the deaths of more people by going for a re-run? It is pointless.
Betty Kanyangara, Kettering, UK
I'm going to go go out on a limb here. No matter what the outcome of the run-off election I predict that Robert Mugabe will win the election.
Bruce Northwood, Washington, D.C., USA
We, who believed those that spouted out the Marxist propaganda that Mugabe used and we did not listen to you, dear Ian Smith, beg your forgiveness, and we must be held partly responsible for the demise of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands murdered by Mugabe.
B J Deller, Marbella, Spain
wake up the rest of the world how can you all sit by and let this happen we are all watching you and cannot believe you are doing nothing at all people are dying from starvation and beatings we are all sick of southafrica and their nonpliance please please help the people of
valerie richardson, kent, england
True whats the point Mugabe going to cheat anyway! I doubt very much these results even reflect the true share of support for Mugabe probably something like 38% for Mugabe 57% for MDC-T is more realistic with all the rigging. Not many people are that dumb to vote for Mugabe.
Julio, Soton, UK
Why bother to have an election at all ?
Dave, Knysna, South Africa