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Opposition wins Zimbabwe assembly Mugabe 'ready to face fresh vote'
(about 1 hour later)
Zimbabwe's main opposition party has won a majority of seats in parliament, displacing the ruling Zanu-PF, final official results show. Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe is ready to contest a second round of the presidential election, a spokesman for his ruling Zanu-PF party says.
The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) took 99 seats, while President Robert Mugabe's party polled 97. Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga said if results from Saturday's election showed a second round was necessary, Mr Mugabe would stand.
With presidential election results yet to be declared, the MDC said its leader had won, but Zanu-PF denied this. Official results from the presidential poll have yet to be issued, but the opposition says it won the vote.
Senior Zanu-PF figures are due to meet on Friday to decide whether to contest any presidential run-off. Mr Mugabe has been seen on state television meeting AU observers.
Reporter Brian Hungwe in the capital, Harare, says the party is split into two factions and the politburo meeting is set to be a defining moment for the country. Mr Matonga told the BBC: "If there is no clear winner, the laws stress that you have to go for a run- off."
Zimbabwean analyst Peter Kagwanja told the BBC he expected Mr Mugabe to run, but given the splits within Zanu-PF one possible option would be for moves towards some kind of unity government. Under election rules, a candidate needs to win just over 50% of the vote to avoid a second round.
Five days after the polls, frustration is growing at the failure of the Zimbabwe Election Commission to declare any presidential results. "President Mugabe is going to fight to the last, and he's not giving up, he's not going anywhere, he hasn't lost the election," said Mr Matonga.
UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the results of the presidential election now had to be announced swiftly. Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC has ended Mr Mugabe's grip on parliament href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7320000/newsid_7327300?redirect=7327374.stm&news=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&bbram=1&asb=1" onClick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;">The rivals
'Ready for victory' Zanu-PF was leading in the popular vote, he said. If translated into a presidential vote, that would mean victory for Mr Mugabe, he said.
Zimbabwe's Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga repeated that the ruling party was ready for a second round presidential poll. Dispute
"Zanu-PF is ready for a run-off. We are ready for a resulting victory," he told AFP. Official results from the parliamentary election, published by the Zimbabwe Election Commission on Wednesday, gave Mr Mugabe's party the lead in terms of the popular vote - 45.9% to 42.8% for the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
The party, he said, had "let the president down" by not applying enough energy to the campaign. But the MDC won a majority of seats, displacing Zanu-PF, final official results show.
ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Source: ZEC class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7326639.stm">Hope for change in Zimbabwe class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/7327238.stm">Is Mugabe losing his grip? class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7326201.stm">UK 'will stand with Zimbabweans' "He's a fighter," said Mr Matonga. "And he fights best when he's put in a corner like this." The MDC took 99 seats, while Mr Mugabe's party polled 97.
State radio says that results for the 60-seat upper house, the Senate, are expected to be issued by the Zimbabwe Election Commission on Thursday. With presidential election results still awaited, the MDC said on Wednesday that its leader had won, though Zanu-PF denied this.
The MDC released its own results to back up its claim of victory in the presidential poll, saying Mr Tsvangirai had won 50.3% of the vote to Mr Mugabe's 43.8%, so avoiding a second round of voting.The MDC released its own results to back up its claim of victory in the presidential poll, saying Mr Tsvangirai had won 50.3% of the vote to Mr Mugabe's 43.8%, so avoiding a second round of voting.
ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR Presidential results None so farWinner needs more than 50% to avoid run-off Source: ZEC Hope for change in ZimbabweIs Mugabe losing his grip?UK 'will stand with Zimbabweans'
But those figures differ slightly with the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, a coalition of civil society organisations, who said Mr Tsvangirai had won 49% to Mr Mugabe's 42% - which if true would necessitate a run-off.But those figures differ slightly with the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, a coalition of civil society organisations, who said Mr Tsvangirai had won 49% to Mr Mugabe's 42% - which if true would necessitate a run-off.
MDC Party Secretary General Tendai Biti said the party would be prepared to take part in a run-off if the ZEC decided neither of the main candidates had won outright. Zanu-PF meeting
'Safe MDC areas' Zanu-PF's leadership is holding a meeting on Friday to discuss strategy.
In elections for the 210-member assembly, an offshoot MDC faction at odds with Mr Tsvangirai won 10 seats, according to the ZEC's final results. State radio says that results for the 60-seat upper house, the Senate, are expected to be issued by the Zimbabwe Election Commission on Thursday.
Mr Mugabe has not been seen in public since the election In further international pressure, UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the results of the presidential election now had to be announced swiftly.
One seat was won by an independent candidate and polling in three constituencies was postponed as candidates died in the run-up to elections. Mr Mugabe, 84, came to power 28 years ago at independence but in recent years Zimbabwe has been plagued by the world's highest inflation, as well as acute food and fuel shortages.
In a separate development, a senior Zanu-PF official has told the BBC he believes Mr Mugabe has been fatally damaged.
The official, who did not want to be identified, said that by not declaring victory on Sunday or Monday, Mr Mugabe had shown weakness.
Now civil servants and police were determined to show even-handedness in their treatment of the Zanu-PF and the opposition, he said.
Rumours
Mr Mugabe, 84, has not been seen in public since the election but Mr Matonga has denied rumours the president had left the country.
Zimbabwe's ambassador to the UN told the BBC the president had no intention of leaving the country.
"Robert Mugabe is Zimbabwean," said Boniface Chidyausiku. "He has lived his life to work for Zimbabwe. Why should he choose another country?"
He came to power 28 years ago at independence but in recent years Zimbabwe has been plagued by the world's highest inflation, as well as acute food and fuel shortages.
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