afrol News - MDC contests results delay

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Zimbabwe
Politics | Society | Human rights | Media

MDC contests results delay

afrol News, 4 April - Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Friday filed "an urgent application" against the national electoral commission at the high court over its refusal to declare the presidential election results.

The party's lawyer Andrew Makoni told reporters that the urgent application seeks to compel the commission to disclose "the results from an official source."

After six days of voting, nothing has been made public about the presidential results, prompting the MDC to release its own figures, declaring its leader Morgan Tsvangirai the winner.

Based on their projection, independent observers ranked Mr Tsvangirai on top, although he cannot avoid a run-off.

His party has won majority of the seats in the parliamentary election, and is neck-to-neck with President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party on the senatorial polls. Both parties expressed their readiness for the second round battle.

Mugabe is scheduled to meet the inner politburo cabinet of his Zanu-PF party to decide whether he should contest the opposition leader in a second round run-off or throws in the towel.

On Thursday, Zimbabwean police raided Meikle Hotel in Harare used by the MDC and ransacked some of the rooms before arresting three party officials. Other officials went into hiding.

The MDC officials said the act forms part of the government's tactics to create violence so that it further clings on to power. Mr Tsvangirai was safe but had canceled plans to hold a news conference.

The police also raided York Lodge in Harare and arrested five journalists. Three of the journalists were later released, but two others, including a correspondent of New York Times, Barry Bearak, are still being held at Harare police headquarters.

They have been accused of operating in the country without accreditation in violation of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. If found guilty, the journalists can be imprisoned for up to two years.