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Mugabe's party demands recount in Zimbabwe elections
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's ruling party is demanding a recount of votes and a further delay to the announcement of presidential election results.
- AP
- Published: 12:24 April 6, 2008
- Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai called on Robert Mugabe to step down and accused him of plotting a campaign of violence to bolster his chances of winning an expected runoff.
- Image Credit: AP
Harere: Zimbabwe's opposition went to court yesterday to try to force the release of presidential election results after President Robert Mugabe's party called for a delay and a recount.
The Movement for De-mocratic Change (MDC) says its leader Morgan Tsvangirai has won the vote and should be declared president, ending 28 years of uninterrupted rule by Mugabe.
But no results have emerged from the vote eight days ago and state media said yesterday the ruling ZANU-PF had asked the electoral commission to delay announcing the outcome pending a recount.
Illegal recount
The MDC said a recount would be illegal and the government was planning violence to stay in power.
Mugabe suffered his first election defeat when ZANU-PF lost control of parliament in the March 29 elections.
"Legally they have no right to ask for a recount, they have absolutely no footing to ask for a recount so what they are trying to do is illegal," said MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti. "It's madness literally and metaphorically".
ZANU-PF's request for a recount and results delay is part of Mugabe's strategy to stay in power despite the biggest setback of his rule.
The strategy includes legal challenges against some of the parliamentary results and deployment of pro-government militias before a possible runoff.
Tsvangirai accused Mugabe of "preparing a war on the people".
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