The ZIMBABWE Situation | Our
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The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says there were large discrepancies in the figures recorded at polling stations and those announced by the government.
MDC election report |
Missing votes: 185,961
Extra votes: 246,445
Mugabe victory: 426,454 votes
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The party says it is unable to compile a complete picture because some of its election agents are still missing and it is prevented from operating in some areas.
Commonwealth leaders last week suspended Zimbabwe for a year after their observer team concluded the elections had been held in a climate of fear.
However, the government and some African observers have said the election was free and fair.
The MDC's presidential candidate, Morgan Tsvangirai, has already rejected the poll result.
The opposition would need to prove that 200,000 votes were improperly cast to bring Mr Mugabe's vote total below the required 50% majority and force a potential run-off.
Discrepancies
Nationwide, there were 185,961 missing votes in 48 constituencies, while there may have been as many as an extra 246,445 votes in 72 constituencies, the report said.
Official results gave Mr Mugabe 426,454 more votes than Mr Tsvangirai.
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The state Election Supervisory Commission's voting tables differed widely from results announced by Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede, according to the report that included alleged copies of the tables.
The supervisory commission organises the logistics of the election, while Mr Mudede is in charge of voter registration, supervising the ballot boxes and announcing the results.
The election tallies showed unusually high voter turnouts in ruling party strongholds and a decline in voting in urban opposition strongholds since parliamentary elections in 2000, opposition legal affairs spokesman David Coltart said.
"These figures must be explained by the relevant authorities," he said.
In some cases, "votes have disappeared, in others they have simply been stuffed," Mr Coltart said.
Among the other irregularities cited by the party were:
'Zimbabwe voting figures show massive rigging' |
Disparities in official voting figures should nullify Robert Mugabe's victory in controversial presidential elections earlier this month, say Zimbabwe's opposition.
President Mugabe won the March 9-11 election with 56% of the votes cast compared with 42% for Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, according to official results.
But the state Election Supervisory Commission's voting tables differed widely from results announced by Registrar-General Tobaiwa Mudede, opposition officials said in a report that included purported copies of the voting tables.
The supervisory commission organises the logistics of the election, while Mr Mudede is in charge of voter registration, supervising the ballot boxes and announcing the results.
The opposition would need to prove that 200,000 votes were improperly cast to bring President Mugabe's vote total below the required 50% majority and force a potential run-off.
The MDC said the disparity called into question enough votes to invalidate Mr Mugabe's entire 434,000 vote lead, and it was considering legal action to challenge the results.
Story filed: 18:20 Tuesday 26th March 2002