ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change opposition says it has defeated President Robert Mugabe in both presidential and parliamentary elections

Record ID: 1540441

  • Title: ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change opposition says it has defeated President Robert Mugabe in both presidential and parliamentary elections
  • Date: 2nd April 2008
  • Summary: (W3) HARARE, ZIMBABWE (APRIL 2, 2008) (REUTERS) MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE OFFICIALS SEATED AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE SECRETARY GENERAL, TENDAI BITI SAYING: "So, if that agreement continues, that would mean that the MDC would have valid seats and the entire opposition would have 111 seats, so the opposition has won the election, the opposition is in the majority, and ZANU-PF has lost this election." MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 17th April 2008 17:35
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Zimbabwe
  • Country: Zimbabwe
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1WBRS5W5ASGGBPSA0QGLT8OX0
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change opposition said on Wednesday (April 2) it had defeated President Robert Mugabe in both presidential and parliamentary elections.
    Party Secretary-General Tendai Biti told a news conference that tallies based on totals posted outside polling stations showed Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won 50.3 percent of the vote and Mugabe
    8 percent.
    Biti said a second round runoff was not necessary but it would accept one "under protest". Election rules say any candidate needs 51 percent for an outright first round victory.

    "So, if that agreement continues, that would mean that the MDC would have valid seats and the entire opposition would have 111 seats, so the opposition has won the election, the opposition is in the majority, and ZANU-PF has lost this election." said Biti.
    Biti appealed to Mugabe, president for the last 28 years, to concede defeat and avoid "embarrassment".
    Mugabe's government immediately rejected the MDC claim as "wishful".
    Mugabe, 84, faced an unprecedented challenge in Saturday's elections because of the economic collapse of his once prosperous country, reducing much of the population to misery.
    The prospect of a runoff has raised fears both inside and outside Zimbabwe that the three-week hiatus before a new vote would spark serious violence between security forces and militia loyal to Mugabe on one side and MDC supporters on the other.
    Deputy Minister of Information and Publicity from the ZANU-PF party denied the possibility that a runoff would lead to violence, instead blaming the United Kingdom and United States for increasing the pressure for the results to be released.

    "But we are not going to see a Kenyan situation, Zimbabweans are very matured, there is no need to fight, we came from world war to fight and people died, and people, the memories are still there, we don't want the war, and that's why you don't see violence in Zimbabwe, because of that war situation. Kenyans never went to war to fight for their independence, Zimbabweans did, and so, but as you heard again, the leader of the opposition, he says ah, will wait, let's give them an opportunity. As Zimbabweans, we don't have a problem, the problem is coming from MDC's handlers, the United Kingdom and United States, they are so eager, they want to see the back of President Robert Mugabe, they want Mugabe to go, they want to give back as what was pointed out by Mr Cohen last night, saying that this is an opportunity for Mr Tsvangirai to give back land to the white man, and that's wishful thinking, and that's a dream that will never true," Brian Matonga, Deputy Minister of Information and Publicity said to Reuters.
    Matonga said in a telephone interview with Sky: "No-one is panicking around President Mugabe. The army is very solidly behind our president, the police force as well."
    No official results of the presidential poll have been issued four days after the election and Mugabe has not been seen in public since voting, despite speculation he would make a television address on Tuesday night.
    However the slow announcement of results was causing concerns among Zimbabweans across the country, and in particular the capital Harare.
    With no international observers allowed in, the regional and local observers also pointed out that the trickle of results was triggering accusations of rigging by the ruling party.

    "We urge the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) to avoid further delay in releasing the results as it is causing undue anxiety and speculation, which may further degenerate into a situation where some groups/political parties start their own election results, as that will compromise the process of the electoral commission. We urge the people of Zimbabwe to continue being calm and hold their country together as they wait for the release of the final results, in conclusion, taking into account the observation and recommendations in the report, we are going to hand-over to the government of Zimbabwe, the Harmonised Election of the Republic of Zimbabwe, was to this extent free and fair." said Otieno Karan, the chief observer from the East African Community mission.
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