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Zim elections: The aftermath
05/05/2008 13:48 - (SA)
Harare - Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for
Democratic Change won a March presidential election but faces a
run-off vote after its leader failed to garner enough votes
against President Robert Mugabe, the electoral body said.
Below is a chronology of key developments since
presidential, parliamentary and local elections on March 29.
March 30 - The opposition Movement for Democratic Change
(MDC) claims victory based on early results.
March 31 - Electoral commission starts announcing results of
parliamentary election. Seats are split evenly between the
opposition and ruling party. No presidential results emerge.
- Observer mission from regional group SADC says elections
were free and fair but expresses concerns over delay to results.
- United States, European Union and former colonial power
Britain voice concern over delay to vote counting.
April 1 - Zanu-PF projections obtained by Reuters show
opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai would beat Mugabe but not
with enough votes to avoid a run-off.
April 2 - MDC says it won presidential and parliamentary
elections and calls on Mugabe to concede. Zanu-PF says MDC
claims are "wishful" and Mugabe is going nowhere.
- State-owned newspaper, The Herald, says Tsvangirai and
Mugabe - frontrunners in a field of candidates - will face a
run-off as neither will get 51% for an outright win.
- Latest parliamentary election results show Zanu-PF with
93 seats and the MDC on 91, out of 206.
April 4 - Zanu-PF backs Mugabe to fight a run-off.
April 6 - MDC goes to court to try to force release of
presidential results.
April 7 - Tsvangirai meets Jacob Zuma, head of South
Africa's ruling African National Congress, after appealing for
help from outside powers to end Mugabe's rule.
- Police say they have arrested seven election officials
for undercounting votes for Mugabe.
April 12 - Mugabe snubs emergency meeting of SADC.
April 13 - The MDC vow to challenge a partial recount
announced the day before, designed to help Mugabe.
April 14 - High Court refuses to order release of results.
April 15 - An opposition general strike to demand the
release of results flops.
April 17 - Zimbabwe's leaders accuse Tsvangirai of treason
and of working with Britain.
- South African President Mbeki insists talking with all
parties is the only solution.
- Western states join the UN in urging action to ensure a
fair election outcome but most African states avoid the issue.
- The United States criticises Africa for lack of action;
South Africa expresses concern for the first time.
April 18 - Mugabe bitterly attacks Britain in his first
major post-election speech to mark independence day, saying
London was paying the population to turn against him.
- A court rejects an opposition bid to block a recount of
votes in 23 constituencies, which begins the next day.
April 20 - Zimbabwe announces delay in the partial recount.
Opposition says 10 of its members have been killed and hundreds
arrested. The African Union urges Zimbabwe to release results.
April 21 - Tsvangirai, who has been travelling abroad after the poll, urges UN chief Ban Ki-moon and African leaders to
intervene, saying the military were terrorising the people.
April 22 - South Africa's Zuma says delay is not acceptable.
April 24 - The United States and Britain call for arms
embargo against Zimbabwe.
April 25 - Riot police raid MDC headquarters and detain
scores of people.
April 29 - Verification of the disputed results starts,
after a partial recount ended.
May 2 - Opposition Movement for Democratic Change won the
presidential election but faces a second-round vote, says the
country's electoral body.
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