ZIMBABWE/UNITED KINGDOM: PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S ZANU-PF PARTY WINS AN OVERALL MAJORITY IN ZIMBABWE'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

Record ID: 338232

  • Title: ZIMBABWE/UNITED KINGDOM: PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE'S ZANU-PF PARTY WINS AN OVERALL MAJORITY IN ZIMBABWE'S PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
  • Date: 27th June 2000
  • Summary: HARARE, ZIMBABWE (JUNE 27, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. MV: PEOPLE WALKING ALONG PAVEMENT, PULL OUT TO NEWSPAPER POSTER SAYING "Election results today" 0.09 2. CU: PEOPLE'S VOICE NEWSPAPER HEADLINE SAYING "20 Reasons Why People Must Vote Zanu PF" PAN TO OBSERVER NEWSPAPER HEADLINE SAYING "ZANU PF Heads for Victory" 0.18 3. WS/MV/CU: NEWS CONFERENCE, MEDIA (3 SHOTS) 0.30 4. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ELECTORAL COMMISSION SPOKESMAN JAMES JONGO GIVING ELECTION RESULTS: "ZANU PF 61, MDC 58, ZANU-NDONGO 1". 0.44 5. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE ADDRESSING THE NATION: "Good evening fellow Zimbabweans. I address you only a few hours after our new millennium parliamentary elections. This election called upon you to select and elect those individuals you deemed fit and able to represent you in our sixth parliament. Naturally, that call translated into the exercise of your sacred and inalienable democratic right to vote, which I am sure you remember came as a priceless trophy from those long and arduous years of our struggle. That right gave you, and still gives you, a sense of involvement in governance, indeed a sense of power over your governors. After all, the tenets of democracy, be that those that seek to govern, do so by the consent of the majority which concerned then becomes the will, your will as the governed." 2.13 6. SV: SETUP OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP, RETIRED GENERAL ABUSALAMI ABUBAKAR 2.18 7. SCU: CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMONWEALTH OBSERVER GROUP, RETIRED GENERAL ABUSALAMI ABUBAKAR SAYING, The question of free and fair is not a question of no or yes. I could say there was intimidation from all parties and as I said in my statement people could not campaign openly depending on the area where they are. Certainly there are problems. 2.41 8. CLOSE UP OF HANDS 2.44 9. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) RETIRED GENERAL ABUSALAMI ABUBAKAR SAYING: When you consider Zimbabwe for the last twenty years was in quotes a one party state, the first shot at multiple party, the other parties are able to score, the MDC and the other parties are able to score about 60 seats out of the 120, I think it's a remarkable achievement. 3.12 10. WIDE OF STREET, TRAFFIC (2 SHOTS) 3.24 11. WS/MV/SV/SCU: PEOPLE JOSTLING FOR NEWSPAPERS (4 SHOTS) 3.50 12. SCU/CU: NEWSPAPER HEADLINE SAYING (Opposition Leader Morgan) "Tsvangirai Loses in Buhera North" (2 SHOTS) 4.01 13. PAN FROM JOURNALISTS TO MDC PRESSER 4.08 14. CU: SOUNDBITE (English) MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) LEADER MORGAN TSVANGIRAI: "This election result means that neither ZANU PF nor President Robert Mugabe can go it alone. He cannot amend the constitution unilaterally - Mugabe will not be able to reintroduce the senate - we believe that there is enough ZANU PF that see there is a need to start a new direction for the country". 4.37 15. WS/SV: JOURNALISTS (2 SHOTS) 4.44 16. CU: SOUNDBITE (English) TSVANGIRAI: "Change is in the offing. Anybody who believes that the future destiny of this country lies on Robert Mugabe must have his head examined. I think both ZANU PF and those who were engaged in irregularities must realise that this is the end for Robert Mugabe. The sooner they start planning his retirement the better." 5.10 LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 27 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 17. WS/CU: FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE/ NAME PLATE (2 SHOTS) 5.18 18. SV/SCU: SOUNDBITE (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY ROBIN COOK SAYING: "This is a crucial moment in Zimbabwe's history. I call on President (Robert) Mugabe to accept the mood for change demonstrated by the voters. I urge ZANU PF to respond positively to the offer from the opposition to discuss how they can work together for the people of Zimbabwe". 5.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th July 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HARARE, ZIMBABWE/ LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City:
  • Country: England Zimbabwe United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVAE481TDRQDAGVE0F9GN17MI76K
  • Story Text: President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party has won an
    overall majority in Zimbabwe's parliamentary election - but
    lacked the majority it required to amend the constitution
    because of the strong showing by the opposition Movement for
    Democratic Change (MDC).



    Mugabe was speaking after his ZANU-PF party suffered a
    severe reverse in parliamentary elections that saw the
    opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) winning 57
    seats against ZANU-PF's 62.

    The combined opposition has never held more than three
    seats since independence in 1980, but ZANU-PF will gain a much
    bigger majority once Mugabe hand picks 30 more members of the
    150-seat parliament as he is allowed to do under the
    constitution.

    Nevertheless, the MDC's showing means they deny Mugabe the
    ability to change the constitution through parliament -- as he
    did just weeks before the election to allow the compulsory
    seizure of over 800 white-owned farms.

    That came just days after the electorate rejected a
    government-sponsored referendum which would have given
    national approval to his plans.

    Following that referendum, Mugabe also addressed the
    nation and said the government would listen to the views of
    the people.

    But the conciliatory tone was forgotten in pre-election
    violence in which at least 30 people were killed -- most of
    them members of the MDC.

    European Union officials accredited to observe the
    elections said the government and ZANU-PF officials had
    clearly supported the violence and intimidation.

    Final figures announced by Registrar General Tobaiwa
    Mudede on Tuesday (June 27) showed 62 seats for ZANU-PF, 57
    for the Movement for Democratic Change and one for the small
    opposition ZANU-Ndonga party.

    The MDC's most significant success, apart from running
    almost neck and neck with ZANU-PF, was to rob Mugabe of the
    two thirds majority he needs for constitutional change.

    Speaking at a news conference after the results were
    announced MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai said: "This election
    result means that neither ZANU PF nor President Robert Mugabe
    can go it alone. He cannot amend the constitution unilaterally
    - Mugabe will not be able to reintroduce the senate - we
    believe that there is enough ZANU PF that see there is a need
    to start a new direction for the country".

    He said: "Change is in the offing. Anybody who believes
    that the future destiny of this country lies on Robert Mugabe
    must have his head examined. I think both ZANU PF and those
    who were engaged in irregularities must realise that this is
    the end for Robert Mugabe. The sooner they start planning his
    retirement the better."
    Mugabe has used this power 16 times, most recently to
    enable him to seize white-owned farms. He also amended the
    constitution to give him the 30-seat voting block which has
    proved crucial in this election.

    The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), formed only
    nine-months ago, far eclipsed any previous challenge to
    ZANU-PF, which has totally dominated power since independence
    20 years ago.

    ZANU-PF had predicted the MDC could win no more than 10
    seats nationwide and said they would bar the opposition from
    government whatever the election result.

    Britain meanwhile urged Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party
    accept that voters had called for change and said it should
    work together with the opposition, which won 57 of 120 seats
    in weekend elections.

    British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said: "This is a
    crucial moment in Zimbabwe's history. I call on President
    (Robert) Mugabe to accept the mood for change demonstrated by
    the voters. I urge ZANU PF to respond positively to the offer
    from the opposition to discuss how they can work together for
    the people of Zimbabwe".


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