Mugabe's party wins elections
2005-04-01 18:39
Special Report
A classical music presenter for the BBC has been arrested and is in custody in Zimbabwe.
Harare - President Robert Mugabe's ruling party won victory in parliament elections on Friday as the opposition charged "massive fraud" and accused the veteran leader of treating Zimbabwe "like his private property".
Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) took 46 of the 120 contested seats, which combined with the 30 seats directly appointed by the president, gave the ruling party enough seats to dominate parliament.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) stood at 32 seats, winning victory in Harare and Zimbabwe's second city of Bulawayo, while the rural vote went to Zanu-PF.
In an interview with AFP, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai slammed what he termed "this disgusting, massive fraud" and charged that Mugabe was bent on winning a two-thirds majority in parliament that would allow him to change th constitution.
"For people to even claim that this is a democratic process is simply not acceptable," Tsvangirai said.
He cited discrepancies in several constituencies between the number of voters and the final tally announced by the elections commission, citing as an example the district of Manyame near the capital Harare, where a 10 000-vote gap existed between the number of voters and the final tally.
Mugabe's nephew Patrick Zhuwao was elected in Manyame, while his brother Leo and mother Sabina Mugabe also won.
"He is going to do what he wants, this is his private property and for people to even claim that this is a democratic process, when it is so fraudulent, is totally not acceptable,' said Tsvangirai.
Turnout was below 50% during voting on Thursday, which passed off peacefully, in marked contrast with the previous elections in 2000 and 2002 when scores were killed and beaten in political violence.
Dismissed fraud charges
Mugabe, in power since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, dismissed charges of fraud as "nonsense" after he cast his ballot on Thursday, adding that he was "absolutely confident" of winning a two-thirds majority for his Zanu-PF.
"Everybody is seeing that these are free and fair elections," said the 81-year-old leader.
The elections were closely watched to gauge whether Mugabe will live up to a commitment to hold a free and fair vote, in accordance with guidelines for democratic polls agreed last year by regional leaders.
British foreign secretary Jack Straw said the elections were "seriously flawed" and that Zimbabweans 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".
Election observers from a southern African regional grouping raised concerns over the number of people turned away at polling stations during voting while also asserting that the elections were "conducted in an open, transparent and professional manner".
"It is still not clear to us exactly how many people were affected in this way as well as the reason for them not being able to cast their vote," said a statement from the observer mission of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC).
- AFP