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Recount goes ahead as judge rejects MDC petition
A JUDGE has
dismissed the Zimbabwean opposition's attempt to block a partial recount
of the vote for parliament and president.
Judge Antonia Guvava issued her ruling on Friday. Results from the March 29 election gave the opposition control of the parliament for the first time. But electoral officials say they have found problems with tallies in 23 out of 210 constituencies and are planning a recount for Saturday.
It could overturn the biggest election defeat of President Robert Mugabe's Zanu PF party.
"I can find no merit in the application, accordingly the application is dismissd with costs," Justice Guvava said at the Harare High Court.
Zimbabwe, which was celebrating its 28th independence anniversary on Friday, was still awaiting results of the presidential vote, nearly three weeks after the election.
Independent tallies suggest opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won - but not by enough to prevent a runoff. The economy had been the main election issue, with the opposition blaming Mugabe for skyrocketing inflation and 80 percent unemployment.
Now the opposition Movement for Democratic Change accuses Mugabe of planning to hold onto power simply by refusing to release the election results.
Mugabe said Friday, in an apparent reference to white farmers: "You saw what happened when you heard the MDC was winning: those who ran away started coming back."
He spoke calmly and with no visible signs of tiring for more than an hour. His speech was largely in the Shona language instead of English, unusual for an event to which diplomats and other foreign dignitaries were invited.
"Beware. Be vigilant in the face of the vicious machinations of Britain and its other allies. Yesterday they ruled by brute force. Today they have perfected their tactics to be more subtle," Mugabe said. "They are literally buying people to turn against the government. We are being bought like sheep because they have money and because we are suffering."
The few passages in English included thanks to southern African leaders "for clearly articulating our case over the ... elections." The leaders held an emergency summit on Zimbabwe last weekend and issued a weak declaration that failed to criticize Mugabe.
"I want to thank South Africa in a special way for the role it has played in brokering our dialogue," Mugabe added in English.
Tsvangirai called
Thursday for South African President Thabo Mbeki to step aside as mediator.
Mbeki, who was appointed last year by southern African leaders to mediate
between Tsvangirai and Mugabe, has insisted on quiet diplomacy, maintaining
that Mugabe will not respond to a confrontational approach. Mbeki has
been widely criticised for saying last weekend that Zimbabwe was not
in crisis. - Reuters/AP
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