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Official Results Finally Out in Zimbabwe

Commission calls for runoff; opposition calls it 'daylight robbery'

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted May 2, 2008 10:10 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Zimbabwe’s official election results are finally out, Reuters reports, and as expected, they call for a runoff between opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai won 47.9% of the vote, the election commission found, beating Mugabe’s 43.2% but not hitting the 50% necessary to avoid a runoff. “This whole thing is a scandal, scandalous daylight robbery and everyone knows that,” an opposition spokesman said.

Tsvangirai's party claims that he won 50.3% of the vote and that the government delayed the results—voting took place a month ago—so it could tamper with the ballot boxes. Tsvangirai has threatened to boycott any runoff unless UN election observers preside over it.; the US and other countries have expressed worry that state-orchestrated intimidation and violence directed at opposition voters would mar a runoff.

Lovemore Sekeramai, the Zimbabwe Chief Elections officer announces results of the Presidential polls in Harare, Zimbabwe Friday, May, 2, 2008.
Lovemore Sekeramai, the Zimbabwe Chief Elections officer announces results of the Presidential polls in Harare, Zimbabwe Friday, May, 2, 2008.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
Zimbabwean Francis Zondo, 10, is seen after an alleged assault by suspected Zanu pf supporters in Mudzi North, about 250 kilometres north of Harare.
Zimbabwean Francis Zondo, 10, is seen after an alleged assault by suspected Zanu pf supporters in Mudzi North, about 250 kilometres north of Harare.   (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
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)
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Zimbabwe • Robert Mugabe • Morgan Tsvangirai • runoff election • Zimbabwe elections • Zanu-PF • MDC

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