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Mugabe trickling out results of national elections
Fears he may wants to steal poll results
Follows his failure to successfully rig polls

ROBERT Mugabe was last night playing with fire, trickling out the results of national elections amid fears that having failed to successfully rig the polls, the Zimbabwean President now wants to steal them.

The Zimbabwean Electoral Commission belatedly began announcing results last night, giving 12 seats each to the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change and Mr Mugabe`s ZANU-PF in the 210-member National Assembly.

The piecemeal announcement, 36 hours after the polls closed, defied reports from African election observers who said some results were known as early as 11pm on Saturday (8am Sunday AEDT), four hours after the polls closed.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said he had grave concerns about the fairness of the election and whether the announced result would reflect the real vote, The Australian reported.

"We remain very gravely concerned that Mr Mugabe will seek to steal this election, irrespective of the actual votes cast," Mr Smith said.

In previous elections, partial results have been announced within hours of voting ending, but observers reported that the ZEC had only a skeleton staff onSunday.

However, in an encouraging boost to hopes for a clean result, Mr Mugabe`s outgoing Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa was officially beaten in the rural eastern constituency of Makoni Central. Election monitors said earlier that six cabinet ministers had lost their seats.

They included Vice-President Joyce Mujuru; Didymus Mutasa, Minister of State for Security and Land; and Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi.

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said last night that Mr Mugabe would be given time to accept defeat.

"Even if they are trying to rig (the polls), they won`t succeed. Our victory is overwhelming," he said.

The MDC on Sunday claimed victory in the presidential, parliamentary and council elections on the basis of reports from its own monitors, who phoned in results posted on the doors of all the nation`s 9000 polling booths, before they were sent to the electoral commission.

The Opposition had MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai with 67 per cent of the presidential vote from 35 per cent of the booths. The MDC claimed 28 of 29 seats in the capital Harare and all 12 in the southern city of Bulawayo, as well as making big inroads into Mr Mugabe`s rural heartland.

Fearful of a repeat of the deadly violence that followed Kenya`s disputed elections in Decemeber, security forces were on the streets of Harare and other cities.

"Clearly the delay is fuelling speculation that something might be going on," Noel Kututwa, chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network, said.

Mr Mugabe, 84, is facing the toughest challenge to his 28-year rule, facing not only 55-year-old Mr Tsvangirai, who narrowly lost disputed 2002 elections, but former ZANU-PF finance minister Simba Makoni, 58.

Mr Smith said there had been several reports of the production of multiple ballot papers and of Mr Mugabe cronies using food aid for political purposes.

While there had been concerns about electoral irregularities in the past, the current concerns were "much greater".

"So our starting point is not `there was a full and free election`," Mr Smith said.

Mr Smith said it was incumbent on the international community to place pressure on Mugabe and his regime to embrace democracy.

Sources within ZANU-PF said Mr Mugabe was consulting his security chiefs amid fears of how they might react to news of his defeat. The chiefs all have said they would serve only Mr Mugabe.

NEWS.com.au is not responsible for the content of external sites.

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US: Zimbabwe urged to count votes properly

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What`s On in Wellington. Visit WellingtonNZ.com

Overflowing with benefits Experience life the Platinum Way With American Express Platinum.

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TIC TAC Taste of Music WIN the ultimate music experience 12 double passes to 12 concerts.

Get a higher return Earn a high 7.88% p.a.^ on a 3 month Term Deposit with HSBCPremier.

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Zimbabwe`s Mugabe `moves to steal election` 04/01/2008


	12. 2008

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