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THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2012 22:16 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2012 22:16 |
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 Zimbabwean ambassador to South Africa Simon Khaya Moyo on Saturday criticised British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's statement, saying it was "irresponsible and irrelevant".
Straw said the parliamentary election in Zimbabwe was marked by irregularities and was not free and fair. Speaking in London, Straw said that although there was less violence than in Zimbabwe's 2000 and 2002 elections, the voters were still had to deal with organised intimidation. Speaking on Saturday morning, Moyo said Britain should remember that Zimbabwe was no longer a British colony. "Zimbabwe is a sovereign state and no longer a British colony. We are free and free forever. Jack Straw is also free to continue clutching at his straw," said Moyo. Moyo said international observers in Zimbabwe "from 30 organisations have pronounced throughout the process that the elections were peaceful, free and fair". "The people of Zimbabwe have spoken. Zanu-PF has won the elections resoundingly. Britain and its puppet, the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) are dead and buried," said Moyo. On Friday, Britain gave the thumbs-down to Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections, saying they were "seriously flawed" and the nation's people had been robbed of the chance at a free and fair vote. "The full results of Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections are not yet clear, but what is clear is that the elections were seriously flawed," Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was reported to have said in a lengthy statement issued in London.  CONTINUES BELOW Straw was also reported to have said that Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe had "yet again denied ordinary Zimbabweans a free and fair opportunity to vote, further prolonging the political and economic crisis he has inflicted on their country". "As we are our own political liberators," said Moyo, "so shall we be our own economic liberators." Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's election commission results on Saturday showed President Robert Mugabe's ruling party garnered a two-thirds majority on Saturday, winning 71 seats which along with 30 seats appointed directly by the president carried it to a major victory. Mugabe, 81, will be able to use a two-thirds majority to enact changes to the constitution that could help him prepare his retirement, expected in 2008. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) won 39 seats in the parliamentary elections held Thursday, according to incomplete results. - Sapa TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE
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