A partial recount of Zimbabwe’s disputed presidential election has been completed and verification of the results by the candidates will start on Tuesday, an election official said on Monday.
The month-long wait for results from the March 29 election has led to a tense political stand-off that has raised fears of bloodshed and drawn opposition accusations that President Robert Mugabe is trying to rig the outcome to keep hold of power.
”Recounting has been completed in those five constituencies that remained. I’m getting the information that they are now collating the results, which will be available tomorrow [Tuesday],” said Zimbabwe Electoral Commission spokesperson Utoile Silaigwana.
”Once this process has been completed, the process of verification of the presidential ballots will also commence tomorrow.”
The verification of results by presidential candidates could take up to a week, electoral officials have said.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who says he won an outright majority in the first round of voting and has rejected an expected run-off, urged Mugabe to step down.
”Old man, go and have an honourable exit,” Tsvangirai told a news conference in Johannesburg.
Mugabe’s Zanu-PF lost control of Parliament for the first time since he took office after independence from Britain in 1980. Now all eyes are on the presidential vote.
A win for Mugabe would deepen the economic collapse of the once prosperous country, political analysts say.
Western powers are likely to pour in aid and investment if victory goes to Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Tsvangirai accuses Mugabe of using the delay in results to rig victory in a run-off.
Factions to work together
Meanwhile, the two of the factions of the MDC have agreed to work together in Parliament, said Tsvangirai on Monday.
He was speaking at a media briefing at Lanseria airport near Johannesburg.
Tsvangirai said the formation was significant because the party was now in control in Zimbabwe.
”Zanu-PF has the minority seats in Parliament now, so it is now the opposition.” he said.
Tsvangirai said President Robert Mugabe had to accept that the majority ruled.
”To be president you have to be in control of Parliament. He lost that so he can no longer be President of Zimbabwe,” he said.
He said the United Nations was meeting on Tuesday and Zimbabwe was on its agenda.
”We want them to investigate the violence in our country and recommend a way to stop it,” he said.
Arthur Mutambara, head of a faction of the MDC, also addressed the media.
He said the two faction’s decision to work together was in the national interest. – Sapa, Reuters