Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Without Runoff, Mugabe Will Win 'by Default'

Zimbabwe election commission rebuts opposition victory claim

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted May 1, 2008 8:06 AM CDT
Email

(Newser) – The head of Zimbabwe's electoral commission tells CNN that Robert Mugabe will win re-election by default if Morgan Tsvangirai goes through with a threat to boycott a runoff.
Tsvangirai's party claims a 50.3% victory, making a runoff unnecessary; Mugabe's party argues he has only a 47%-43% margin. The commission head, George Chiweshe, said results of the March presidential race will be submitted to both parties today.

Chiweshe said the vote counts must be verified by the parties, as the final step before making the results public, which Zimbabwe has been under intense international pressure to do. He wants the parties to sign "verification forms" before the results can be released. It's highly unlikely that the parties will agree on the results, CNN notes, and Chiweshe said the commission can publicly announce its results in the event of a stalemate.


Zimbabwean leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, talks at a news conference in Johannesburg, Monday April 28, 2008.
Zimbabwean leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, talks at a news conference in Johannesburg, Monday April 28, 2008.   (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Zimbabwean leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, right, talks at a news conference in Johannesburg, Monday April 28, 2008.
Zimbabwean leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai, right, talks at a news conference in Johannesburg, Monday April 28, 2008.   (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
President Robert Mugabe delivers a speech during Zimbabwe's 28th independence anniversary in Harare, Friday, April, 18, 2008. Zimbabwe is still awaiting results of the presidential vote over a month after the election.
President Robert Mugabe delivers a speech during Zimbabwe's 28th independence anniversary in Harare, Friday, April, 18, 2008. Zimbabwe is still awaiting results of the presidential vote over a month after...   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

Comment: After Mugabe
Baltimore Sun

Mugabe and the International Criminal Court
Times (UK)

 
Zimbabwe • Robert Mugabe • Morgan Tsvangirai • Zimbabwe elections • Zanu-PF

More Newser Stories

Despite Arrests, Zimbabwe Opposition Elects Speaker

How the Opposition Can Oust Mugabe

Africa Braces for Zimbabwe Refugees

Mugabe Detains His Challenger

Tsvangirai Returns to Zimbabwe
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne