14 April 2008
By Fortune Tazvida
Zimbabwe's main opposition MDC which won the parliamentary election 2 weeks ago says a partial recount being pushed by the losing Zanu PF party is illegal and falls outside the 48 hour legal appeal window.
The combined opposition won 110 seats in the 210 house of assembly with Zanu PF only managing 97 seats. But a brazen attempt at re-winning their majority has seen Zanu PF instigate a recounting of votes in 23 constituencies.
The recount has been scheduled for next week Saturday 19th April suggesting Mugabe's government is playing for time to delay announcement of the presidential election results which has still to be known 2 weeks after the March 29 poll.
Figures posted outside polling stations and leaked information from Zimbabwe Electoral Commission officials indicates with certainty that MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai should be the country's new president.
One former spy Liberty Mupakati now in exile has given information to the media suggesting Tsvangirai actually won 57,8 percent of the vote, removing the need for a run-off between him and Mugabe. The reluctance by Mugabe's regime to have the figures released suggests they already know they lost.
Meanwhile the MDC have already said they will challenge the recounts in court. On Monday the High Court is supposed to rule on a separate application demanding the release of presidential election results. That application is being heard Justice Tendai Uchena.
A second application will now have to deal with the issue of recounts. Commentators say this is exactly what Zanu PF wants. Not only are they creating an opportunity to reclaim their parliamentary majority but they are buying time for a presidential run-off which will be preceded by a wave of brutal violence.
It's also looking likely that Mugabe does no want to enter a run-off as the losing candidate and is desperate to get a higher percentage than Tsvangirai before a second round of voting is forced on the people of Zimbabwe.
Last week Nehanda Radio reported exclusively how a special unit of army and state security agents were 'burning midnight oil' while tampering with ballot papers at the armys KG 6 headquarters. The vote recounts we are told are going to factor in stuffed ballot boxes from that exercise.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Nehanda Radio, 'This is not a vote recount, its a vote discount meant to reverse the people's will.' Chamisa said the party and its civil society partners are going full steam ahead with a national strike on Tuesday to press for the results. What remains clear in Zimbabwe, is that nothing is clear. fortune@nehandaradio.com
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