Our hands are tied, says ZEC
11/04/2008 10:56  - (SA)  

Tsvangirai's lawyer arrested ANC: Release Zim poll results ZEC's main offices 'empty' Mugabe 'ready' to face peers ZEC accepts vote recount SADC calls Zim crisis meeting MDC turns to Zuma Zim vote delay 'dangerous'

Zimbabwe Special Report  Latest Zimbabwe Stories

Harare - The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has dodged calls for it to release results from presidential elections held nearly two weeks ago, saying its hands are tied because the results are the subject of a court case, say state media.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) had petitioned the High Court in Harare for a court order forcing ZEC to release the results. The court was due to rule on the matter on Monday.

ZEC was expected to come under pressure to end the suspense surrounding the election outcome at an emergency meeting of southern African leaders in Zambia Saturday to discuss Zimbabwe.

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had claimed outright victory in the March 29 elections. President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, which had talked up a second round of voting, was demanding a recount, accusing ZEC of rigging in Tsvangirai's favour.

ZEC officials arrested

Spokesperson for Mugabe and Tsvangirai had separately confirmed that the two would attend the Southern African Development Community (SADC) meeting.

South African President Thabo Mbeki, SADC's mediator in Zimbabwe, would also be present, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

In a sign of growing impatience in the region over Zimbabwe, a senior South African foreign affairs official, Aziz Pahad, on Thursday called on ZEC to explain the delay in releasing the results and expressed concern that Zanu-PF was already demanding a recount.

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa on Thursday said ZEC - several of whose officials had been arrested for alleged vote rigging - had accepted a recount in some constituencies.

Despite Zanu-PF's defeat in parliamentary elections and his party's admission that he probably did not win the presidential vote, Mugabe, 84, appeared to be trying to cling onto power.

For the past week, dozens of white farmers and at least one black farmer had been chased off their land by youth militia loyal to his party after Mugabe called on Zimbabweans to defend their land from "former colonisers".

Sapa-dpa

What is this? Yahoo Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Brought to you by OUTsurance Car Insurance
	News24 Headlines on your Facebook profile		News24 on mobile