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| Zimbabwe stands 'on a precipice' | Zimbabwe stands 'on a precipice' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Zimbabwe is standing on a "precipice" as official results from Saturday's general election start to trickle in, the opposition has said. | Zimbabwe is standing on a "precipice" as official results from Saturday's general election start to trickle in, the opposition has said. |
| Senior Movement for Democratic Change official Tendai Biti says party leader Morgan Tsvangirai has won 60% of the vote, against 30% for Robert Mugabe. | |
| Official results show both sides have 26 parliamentary seats so far. Mr Biti says the results are being rigged. | |
| Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa has lost his seat, east of Harare. | Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa has lost his seat, east of Harare. |
| Public Affairs Minister Chen Chimutengwende has also lost his seat in Mazowe, seen as a stronghold for President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party. | Public Affairs Minister Chen Chimutengwende has also lost his seat in Mazowe, seen as a stronghold for President Mugabe's Zanu-PF party. |
| The BBC's Ian Pannell, reporting from Zimbabwe despite the BBC being banned from operating there, says the situation is calm, but there is an air of expectation and suspense. | |
| The air is thick with expectation and with rumour. The parts of the country we have seen are very calm and, in some cases, unusually quiet BBC's Ian Pannell BBC hears hopes of change | |
| Most people he has spoken to say they believe Mr Mugabe has been beaten and he must now leave office, our correspondent reports. But they also warn that there have been false dawns before, he adds. | |
| Local results have been posted outside most polling stations since Sunday morning. | Local results have been posted outside most polling stations since Sunday morning. |
| One seat has gone to a breakaway faction of the MDC, according to official results. | |
| MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC his party had won 99 of the 210 parliamentary seats, against 96 for Zanu-PF and 15 for other opposition parties, based on his party's final figures. | MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the BBC his party had won 99 of the 210 parliamentary seats, against 96 for Zanu-PF and 15 for other opposition parties, based on his party's final figures. |
| ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Parliamentary constituencies MDC-Tsvangirai: 25Zanu-PF: 26Breakaway MDC faction: 1Yet to declare: 158 Presidential results None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Source: ZECResults according to MDC: Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC: 60%Robert Mugabe, Zanu-PF: 30%MDC 99 parliamentary seats Zanu-PF 96Other opposition 15 Delays add to fraud fears href="/1/hi/world/africa/7322727.stm">Bloggers want results | |
| Mr Biti said the electoral commission was planning to announce that Mr Mugabe had won 52% of the vote - just enough to avoid a run-off. The MDC would not accept these results, he said. | Mr Biti said the electoral commission was planning to announce that Mr Mugabe had won 52% of the vote - just enough to avoid a run-off. The MDC would not accept these results, he said. |
| Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga denied the polls would be rigged and said the president would accept defeat. | Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga denied the polls would be rigged and said the president would accept defeat. |
| "We don't expect to lose... It's going to be a very tight contest and if he loses, you have to accept," he told the BBC. | "We don't expect to lose... It's going to be a very tight contest and if he loses, you have to accept," he told the BBC. |
| Mr Matonga also denied rumours that Mr Mugabe had gone to Malaysia or was planning to impose a state of emergency. | Mr Matonga also denied rumours that Mr Mugabe had gone to Malaysia or was planning to impose a state of emergency. |
| Riot police have been patrolling the capital, Harare, and other urban areas and residents have been told to stay indoors. | Riot police have been patrolling the capital, Harare, and other urban areas and residents have been told to stay indoors. |
| A senior Zanu-PF source has told a BBC contributor that security officials met on Sunday to decide who should tell Mr Mugabe he had lost, with some refusing to take the job. | A senior Zanu-PF source has told a BBC contributor that security officials met on Sunday to decide who should tell Mr Mugabe he had lost, with some refusing to take the job. |
| In the southern town of Masvingo, MDC supporters have reportedly stopped celebrating since reports came in that Zanu-PF had won in areas initially believed to have gone to the opposition. | In the southern town of Masvingo, MDC supporters have reportedly stopped celebrating since reports came in that Zanu-PF had won in areas initially believed to have gone to the opposition. |
| 'Meticulous' | 'Meticulous' |
| Presidential, House of Assembly, Senate and local elections were all held on Saturday, and election officials say that this is why results have been slow to come. | Presidential, House of Assembly, Senate and local elections were all held on Saturday, and election officials say that this is why results have been slow to come. |
| Some Zanu-PF supporters have been celebrating the results | Some Zanu-PF supporters have been celebrating the results |
| "It's an absolute necessity that all results be meticulously analysed at this stage," George Chiweshe, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, said earlier. | "It's an absolute necessity that all results be meticulously analysed at this stage," George Chiweshe, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, said earlier. |
| But Noel Kututwa, the head of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, said: "The delay in announcing these results is fuelling speculation that there could be something going on." | But Noel Kututwa, the head of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, said: "The delay in announcing these results is fuelling speculation that there could be something going on." |
| Poll monitors from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said the elections had been "peaceful and credible". | Poll monitors from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) said the elections had been "peaceful and credible". |
| But two SADC members from South Africa refused to sign a generally positive preliminary report of the mission, with one of them calling the polls "deeply flawed". | But two SADC members from South Africa refused to sign a generally positive preliminary report of the mission, with one of them calling the polls "deeply flawed". |
| Western observers were banned from the election but a European Union spokesman urged the ZEC to announce the results to "avoid unnecessary speculation". | Western observers were banned from the election but a European Union spokesman urged the ZEC to announce the results to "avoid unnecessary speculation". |
| A White House spokesman said the US was concerned about the delay and urged "the election commission to count every vote honestly and to release results quickly". | |
| UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that after millions of Zimbabweans had voted "their voice must now be heard without delay". | |
| A new monitoring group, the Independent Results Centre, backs up the MDC's claims of victory, saying Mr Tsvangirai has won 55% of the vote in the presidential race, against 37% for Mr Mugabe and 5% for independent candidate Simba Makoni. | A new monitoring group, the Independent Results Centre, backs up the MDC's claims of victory, saying Mr Tsvangirai has won 55% of the vote in the presidential race, against 37% for Mr Mugabe and 5% for independent candidate Simba Makoni. |
| 'Coup d'etat' | 'Coup d'etat' |
| Mr Chamisa said that MDC polling agents had been chased away from some polling stations on election day, which later recorded huge Zanu-PF victories. | Mr Chamisa said that MDC polling agents had been chased away from some polling stations on election day, which later recorded huge Zanu-PF victories. |
| He pointed to the case of Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe constituency east of Harare, where the Zanu-PF candidate received 15,000 votes against 2,000 for the MDC. | He pointed to the case of Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe constituency east of Harare, where the Zanu-PF candidate received 15,000 votes against 2,000 for the MDC. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYThis delay is getting people agitated, we are all wondering what is going onBlessing, HarareSend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYThis delay is getting people agitated, we are all wondering what is going onBlessing, HarareSend us your comments |
| Of the seats declared so far, both parties have done well in their traditional strongholds - Zanu-PF in rural areas and the MDC in towns and cities. | Of the seats declared so far, both parties have done well in their traditional strongholds - Zanu-PF in rural areas and the MDC in towns and cities. |
| But Zanu-PF has won one seat in Harare, while the MDC has gained six rural seats, including that of Mr Chinamasa. | But Zanu-PF has won one seat in Harare, while the MDC has gained six rural seats, including that of Mr Chinamasa. |
| The BBC's Grant Ferrett in Johannesburg says Mr Chinamasa has been an energetic and loyal supporter of Mr Mugabe, pushing through his land redistribution programme in defiance of court rulings. | |
| Government spokesman George Charamba warned the MDC against claiming victory before official results are announced. | Government spokesman George Charamba warned the MDC against claiming victory before official results are announced. |
| "It is called a coup d'etat and we all know how coups are handled." | "It is called a coup d'etat and we all know how coups are handled." |
| After voting in Harare, Mr Mugabe, 84, who has been in power since 1980, said: "We don't rig elections. I cannot sleep with my conscience if I have rigged." | After voting in Harare, Mr Mugabe, 84, who has been in power since 1980, said: "We don't rig elections. I cannot sleep with my conscience if I have rigged." |
| The MDC says it is fighting to save Zimbabwe's economy. | The MDC says it is fighting to save Zimbabwe's economy. |
| The country has the world's highest inflation rate, at more than 100,000%, and just one adult in five is believed to have a regular job. | The country has the world's highest inflation rate, at more than 100,000%, and just one adult in five is believed to have a regular job. |
| Are you in Zimbabwe? Did you vote in Saturday's election? What happened in your constituency? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below or by text on +44 7786 20 50 85 - and let us know if you do not want your full name to be published. | Are you in Zimbabwe? Did you vote in Saturday's election? What happened in your constituency? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below or by text on +44 7786 20 50 85 - and let us know if you do not want your full name to be published. |