afrol News, 11 April - Zimbabwe's Minister of Information and Publicity said the ruling Zanu-PF party of President Robert Mugabe was also desperately awaiting the release of the 29 March presidential poll results.

"I would like to state in unequivocal terms that it is not true that the president nor government is holding the Zimbabwe election results," Sikhanyiso Ndlovu told 'The Herald', adding that the government wanted the results to be declared public without any interference or pressure on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ECK).

The ECK said it is still busy with collation and verification of the votes, 13 days after the poll took place.
A High Court judge is expected to deliver judgment on a petition that demanded the publication of the results from an official source on Monday afternoon.

The commission issued a statement, advising all stakeholders in the election to remain patient and allow the due process of the law to run its court.

“The commission wishes to advise the public that the question of the results of the presidential election is now the subject of legal proceedings in the High Court (…) we urge all stakeholders to remain patient and allow the due process of the law to run its course," the ECK said.

It said despite receiving several inquiries from stakeholders, the electorate, observers and the media concerning the compilation and publication of the results, the commission avoided comments on an issue that is before the courts.

The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change accused the government of unnecessarily delaying the publication of the results. The party claimed victory for its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai has been crisscrossing the region seeking support from leaders to prevent a "constitutional coup d'etat" in Zimbabwe. He held a meeting with President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa and the mediator of the Zimbabwe's political crisis.

The MDC Spokesman, Nqobizitha Mlilo, said his party leader's meeting with Mr Mbeki "went well."

However, three electoral officers were found guilty of losing ballot boxes and failure to report on the disappearances ballot boxes from a polling station in Masvingo province was found by farmers.

Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders have called an emergency crisis summit on Zimbabwe in Zambia on Saturday.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said this is the "last real chance to resolve Zimbabwe’s worsening political crisis."

“It’s about time that southern African leaders do something to avert the growing threat of a human rights disaster in Zimbabwe,” said Georgette Gagnon, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “Instead of letting Robert Mugabe set the terms of the summit talks, they should insist he listen to the will of the Zimbabwean people and end his government’s abuses.”

SADC leaders have been urged to press the Mugabe government to announce the presidential poll results without delay, and ensure that any necessary run-off takes place within a prescribed timeline.

By staff writer

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