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| Zimbabwe election: queuing voters given more time | Zimbabwe election: queuing voters given more time |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Zimbabwean electoral officials have reassured voters they will be allowed to vote after the official end of elections, as a high turnout led to long queues at polling stations. | Zimbabwean electoral officials have reassured voters they will be allowed to vote after the official end of elections, as a high turnout led to long queues at polling stations. |
| The fiercely contested presidential and parliamentary poll is said to be calm and peaceful, despite fraud claims. | The fiercely contested presidential and parliamentary poll is said to be calm and peaceful, despite fraud claims. |
| President Robert Mugabe, 89, has said he will step down after 33 years in power if he and his Zanu-PF party lose. | President Robert Mugabe, 89, has said he will step down after 33 years in power if he and his Zanu-PF party lose. |
| PM Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC says Zanu-PF doctored the electoral roll. | PM Morgan Tsvangirai's MDC says Zanu-PF doctored the electoral roll. |
| It said the rolls contained the names of two million dead people, and there were concerns about the number of people being turned away from polling stations. Zanu-PF denies the claims. | It said the rolls contained the names of two million dead people, and there were concerns about the number of people being turned away from polling stations. Zanu-PF denies the claims. |
| Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have shared an uneasy coalition government since 2009 under a deal brokered to end the deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year. | Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) have shared an uneasy coalition government since 2009 under a deal brokered to end the deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year. |
| 'Determined to vote' | 'Determined to vote' |
| Mr Mugabe dismissed the MDC's allegations of vote-rigging as "politicking" as he voted in the capital Harare's Highfield township. | |
| "They want to find a way out," Mr Mugabe said. | "They want to find a way out," Mr Mugabe said. |
| "I am sure people will vote freely and fairly, there is no pressure being exerted on anyone." | "I am sure people will vote freely and fairly, there is no pressure being exerted on anyone." |
| Mr Tsvangirai described casting his ballot as an emotional moment "after all the conflict, the stalemate, the suspicion, the hostility". | Mr Tsvangirai described casting his ballot as an emotional moment "after all the conflict, the stalemate, the suspicion, the hostility". |
| "This is a very historic moment for us," he said. | |
| Mr Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round of the 2008 poll, but pulled out of the run-off with Mr Mugabe because of attacks on his supporters, which left about 200 dead. | Mr Tsvangirai won the most votes in the first round of the 2008 poll, but pulled out of the run-off with Mr Mugabe because of attacks on his supporters, which left about 200 dead. |
| The government has barred Western observers from monitoring Wednesday's elections, but the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), as well as local organisations, have been accredited. | The government has barred Western observers from monitoring Wednesday's elections, but the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (Sadc), as well as local organisations, have been accredited. |
| Polls opened at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and had been due to close at 19:00. | Polls opened at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and had been due to close at 19:00. |
| However, because of the high turnout election officials said people who were still waiting in queues to vote by 19:00 would have until midnight to cast their ballots. | However, because of the high turnout election officials said people who were still waiting in queues to vote by 19:00 would have until midnight to cast their ballots. |
| Results are due within five days. | Results are due within five days. |
| Wednesday has been declared a national holiday to ensure people can vote. Despite this, voters queued for several hours outside polling stations before they opened, reports the BBC's Nomsa Maseko in Harare. | Wednesday has been declared a national holiday to ensure people can vote. Despite this, voters queued for several hours outside polling stations before they opened, reports the BBC's Nomsa Maseko in Harare. |
| Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the main domestic monitoring agency, said the vote appeared to be taking place without too many problems, Reuters news agency reports. | Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the main domestic monitoring agency, said the vote appeared to be taking place without too many problems, Reuters news agency reports. |
| "There are some concerns around long queues, but generally, it's smooth," said its spokesman Thabani Nyoni. | "There are some concerns around long queues, but generally, it's smooth," said its spokesman Thabani Nyoni. |
| Former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo, who heads a group of African Union monitors, said the elections seemed credible. | Former Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo, who heads a group of African Union monitors, said the elections seemed credible. |
| "It's been quiet, it's been orderly. The first place I called in this morning, they opened prompt at seven o'clock and there haven't been any serious incidents that... would not reflect the will of the people." he told Reuters. | "It's been quiet, it's been orderly. The first place I called in this morning, they opened prompt at seven o'clock and there haven't been any serious incidents that... would not reflect the will of the people." he told Reuters. |
| "I got up at four but still couldn't get the first position in the line," Clifford Chasakara, a voter in the western province of Manicaland, told Reuters. | "I got up at four but still couldn't get the first position in the line," Clifford Chasakara, a voter in the western province of Manicaland, told Reuters. |
| "My fingers are numb, but I'm sure I can mark the ballot all the same. I'm determined to vote and have my vote counted." | "My fingers are numb, but I'm sure I can mark the ballot all the same. I'm determined to vote and have my vote counted." |
| 'Forced voting' | |
| Reporters around the country have told the BBC they have seen long queues of people waiting to vote. | |
| However, there have been numerous complaints that voters were unable to find their names on the electoral roll. | |
| According to villagers, MDC polling agents and local election observers, some irregularities were recorded in parts of rural Masvingo district. | |
| Traditional leaders and village heads are alleged to have lined up residents, forcibly marched them to the polling stations and given them voting numbers as if to cross-check who they had voted for. | |
| There are also suggestions that in these rural areas some literate people were forced to pretend they could not read or write and were assisted to cast their vote in favour of Zanu-PF. | |
| Sixty-one-year-old Mr Tsvangirai has vowed to push Mr Mugabe into retirement; it is his third attempt to unseat him. | Sixty-one-year-old Mr Tsvangirai has vowed to push Mr Mugabe into retirement; it is his third attempt to unseat him. |
| On Tuesday, the MDC accused Zanu-PF of doctoring the roll of registered voters, which was released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) only on the eve of the polls after weeks of delay. | On Tuesday, the MDC accused Zanu-PF of doctoring the roll of registered voters, which was released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) only on the eve of the polls after weeks of delay. |
| The MDC claimed the roll dated back to 1985 and was full of anomalies. | The MDC claimed the roll dated back to 1985 and was full of anomalies. |
| A BBC correspondent has seen the document and says it features the names of thousands of dead people. | A BBC correspondent has seen the document and says it features the names of thousands of dead people. |
| MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said there were as many as two million such names, while some genuine voters were not finding their names on the rolls. | MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said there were as many as two million such names, while some genuine voters were not finding their names on the rolls. |
| "The greatest worry which we have is the number of persons that are being turned away," he added. | "The greatest worry which we have is the number of persons that are being turned away," he added. |
| A Zanu-PF spokesman denied the allegations and pointed out that appointees from both parties were on Zec. He also accused Finance Minister Tendai Biti, from the MDC, of not funding the commission properly. Zec has not commented. | A Zanu-PF spokesman denied the allegations and pointed out that appointees from both parties were on Zec. He also accused Finance Minister Tendai Biti, from the MDC, of not funding the commission properly. Zec has not commented. |
| In addition to Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, there are three other candidates standing for the presidency - Welshman Ncube, leader of the breakaway MDC-Mutambara; Dumiso Dabengwa of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu), and Kisinoti Munodei Mukwazhe, who represents the small Zimbabwe Development Party (ZDP). | In addition to Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, there are three other candidates standing for the presidency - Welshman Ncube, leader of the breakaway MDC-Mutambara; Dumiso Dabengwa of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu), and Kisinoti Munodei Mukwazhe, who represents the small Zimbabwe Development Party (ZDP). |
| To be declared a winner, a presidential candidate must win more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate reaches this mark, a run-off will be held on 11 September. | To be declared a winner, a presidential candidate must win more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate reaches this mark, a run-off will be held on 11 September. |
| The elections will be the first to be held under the new constitution approved in a referendum in March this year. | The elections will be the first to be held under the new constitution approved in a referendum in March this year. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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