Zimbabwe’s High Court on Monday refused to order the immediate release of delayed results from a March 29 presidential election, in a major blow to the opposition MDC.
Rejecting a Movement for Democratic Change application to force the electoral commission to release the result, Judge Tendai Uchena said: “I dismiss the case with costs.”
The MDC says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, defeated President Robert Mugabe in the vote, ending his 28-year rule.
The MDC went to the High Court after a long delay in issuing the result by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
Judge Uchena did not explain his judgement, but said the court would make it available by tomorrow.
The ZEC opposed the MDC’s application and says it is still counting and verifying the votes.
Zimbabwe’s economy is in ruins, with the world’s worst rate of hyper-inflation, but the judgement appeared to delay even further the time when the population will find out whether Mugabe’s almost three decades in power are over.
The opposition says Mugabe is holding back the presidential result to allow him time to prepare a violent response to his biggest electoral setback, when the ruling ZANU-PF party lost control of parliament in a parallel vote on March 29.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told Reuters: “Naturally we are very disappointed because I think we have a very strong case. We are going to decide the way forward after meeting our lawyers, but in our view the release of those results is very, very urgent.”
GENERAL STRIKE
MDC lawyers said they would decide whether to appeal after studying the High Court judgement. The opposition has called an indefinite general strike for Tuesday to protest against the delay.
Southern African leaders said after a summit in Lusaka at the weekend that the election result should be released “expeditiously”.
Further delays are expected because of legal manoeuvres and a recount of 23 constituencies ordered by the ZEC for next Saturday. The MDC is also challenging that decision in court.
ZANU-PF says neither Tsvangirai nor Mugabe won the necessary absolute majority in the presidential vote and a run-off will be necessary.
The delays have stoked tension in the southern African nation and brought a chorus of Western condemnation.
Both MDC and international human rights organisations say Mugabe has unleashed militias in a campaign of violence to intimidate opposition supporters ahead of a runoff.
The MDC says hundreds of villagers have been forced out of their homes by militia attacks and at least 50 needed medical treatment.
A quarter of Zimbabwe’s population has fled to escape inflation of more than 100,000 percent, chronic shortages of food and fuel and 80 percent unemployment.
The ZEC’s recounts could overturn the MDC’s victory in the parliamentary vote, Mugabe’s first defeat since taking power after independence from Britain in 1980.
MDC lawyer Selby Hwacha accused the ZEC of calling the recount to help ZANU-PF rig the poll.
In what the opposition says is a propaganda campaign, state media on Monday published a document alleged to have been written by MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti containing the party’s plans to bribe polling officials to inflate MDC votes.
“This is a dirty campaign, a sign of desperation, publishing false documents which they have authored themselves,” the MDC’s Chamisa said.
Tsvangirai, who says he is a target of security forces, has said widespread violence could erupt unless African states intervene.
The summit of SADC (Southern African Development Community) in Lusaka at the weekend urged Mugabe to ensure any run-off would be held “in a secure environment”.
The former guerrilla commander did not attend.
Zimbabwe’s neighbours, particularly regional power South Africa, have been flooded with millions of economic refugees, causing outbursts of xenophobic violence.
[Reuters]
Who thought the court could rule otherwise.Lord knows what is in store for Zimbos.We can only help if they Zimbos are ready to help themselves.After all we have helped them before in their liberation struggle.
Ba MDC nabo, how do u appeal to a judge that works for and is overfed with cash by Mugabe and hope for the best results?
Sad nyuz though it was expected. I hope for the best to you all Zimbabweans and fellow world Citizens.
Zimbos, this trying time will end. keep the faith. Things will certainly change though not to the very best that we are all hoping for.
There is a clique of Zimbos who can not imagine Zim without Bob.These guys are afraid of change and given contemporary African politics which are rife with rigging,they will keep Bob in at all costs and Tsvangirai out.
There is a clique of Zimbos who can not imagine Zim without Bob.These guys are afraid of change and given contemporary African politics which are rife with rigging,they will keep Bob in and Tsvangirai out.
Terrible blow to Zimbos.
Problem Zimbos too much utulo. Consult Kenyans the will advise you the right way to do it. Otherwise you will wait for results till Sekuru Bob kicks the bucket.
Britain had no hand in SADC summit – Minister
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Kabinga Pande, has disputed claims by some critics in a neighbouring country that Britain had a hand in organising the Southern African Development Community (SADC) extra-ordinary heads of state summit in Lusaka at the weekend.
“This is a purely SADC affair and President Mwanawasa has always been telling the world that they should leave the Zimbabwe issue to SADC to resolve,” Mr Pande said.
Mr Pande said since Zambia was currently chairing the SADC, the country made sufficient and enormous consultation among the regional body’s member states.
He said the fact that Zambia invited more than 10 heads of state s
This judge has just dented his CV. We all know that you can’t bit the fingure that feeds you! How on eath did he even allow the petition in the fisrt place and even delayed as though he was going to look at the case objectively! the whole world is able to see this and one day justice will prevail to the Zim people! Where is Saddam today together with his judges and ministers? Think about it Bob,You think you’r untouchable but wait and see what happens next! Ask chiluba,charls Toylor and other Ex. Protect your legacy by give up and let others try to run the gvt.be a chief advisor for the zim.people’s sakes!
Personally I like Bob ,but it’s time for him to pave way for new ideas and new brains
Zambians looked after Zimbabweans before When they got their independence they treated Zambians with the worst contempt. What goes around comes around. They are back to square one – running to Zambia again! I really salute Zambians for being so considerate. I hope these proud for nothing Zimbabweans have learnt something from this experience and treat their neighbours in a civilised fashion next time. For now I pity them because old Bob is really dealing with them like labourers on his farm. They are a docile lot.May be they will react when Bob starts to make them eat mud.Persevere folks!!
The outcome of the court ruling was obvious and the meeting on Saturday about Zim problems was a waste of resources. I knew Mugabe would not attend. Mbeki is a toothless and is pro Mugabe. He can be willing to provide Mugabe asylum if stepsdown from presidency seat. You do not expect Mbeki to side with Morgan when he lost to Zuma. I only pray that Zimbabweans will sort out their current problems amicably. Mugabe is a very stuborn president. He is being cheated by Gaddafi of Libya.
There is a resemblance btween Mugabe and Hitler:that moustache!
What does the judge care? I believe he has no future aspirations! Is this the serious business Mugabe was refering to as the reason why he did not attend the SADC meeting, shame upon us all. Just what goes on in the head of an african, in whose interest is this guy Mugabe doing all this, just for a political end? Surely we should be more serious, Zimbabwe is back 300 years, one step forward 300 backwards and then you want to blame the west for our conditions. Perpetual beggers, always asking the donors what we should do, yet we want to remain like that? God curse us all!!!!
Mpande knows nothing about international politics and intelligence work.Briatin organised the Lusaka summit but in vein. They are desperate for the Zimbabwean Gold mines, land and strategic advantage to the extent of full filling the commitment of appeasing Americans by giving them Zimbabwe as base for the much disdained AFRICOM.Morgan collected US $20 million from the USA in 2003 and he must deliver. Mbeki will not buy the MDC trenchery understanding that SA has the same Zimbabwe dilema over land.The citizen empowerment is heading there too. Namibia has already systeatically started possessions.Mwanawasa has no clue hence the MMD machinery letting him bruise himself while distancing MMD.
#14 dont write rubbish that you can not substatiate.
#15, how do you see it??
#14 (Ex-Official) Must be Mugabe’s brother.
#14, its benn over half a month from the time the elections were held yet the results are still unannounced. Mugabe is intimidating everyone. Can’t you see that there is something seriously wrong with Mugabe’s behaviour?
Abantu Baya(18),
In 1999 it took Mozambique 16 days to release election results after Alfonso Dlakama of Renamo speculated and kept announcing himself winner the (MT) way.where the EC has found grave irregularity, for security reasons it is very much wise to hold them subject to verification.Where no clear winner emerges, it is democratic practice as SADC put it to rerun period.
Tom k (15),
I’m an empiricist speaking from my broadly read verifiable dozziers. Go ask the top leadership of both MDC factions of Morgan Tsvangirai and Professor Arthur Mutambara (For your information,we were together at the University in the USA with the later prior to his dispatch for Zimbabwe).Check also with congress and the state department appropriation committe debates. Its no secret they didn’t hide the debates on this support under the Millenium fund to MT.
Tom k (15),
Visit also the following founding leaders of MDC:
Blessing Chebundo
Patrick Kombayi
Morgan Tsvangirai
#21 Ex-Official When you were at university in USA, I think the CIA must have secretly inserted a microchip in your brain, and now it is malfunctioning. Your logic functions like bad science fiction. Zimbabwe ranks about 892 in order of importance to Britain and USA
Ex Zambian(22),
You must be dangerously dull to insinuate that Zimbabwe is list important to the Britons. Which school did you go to? What is the rating basis of nations in importance in international politics???Thank God you are not one of our own Zambians.
Try to think it this way.Mugabe steps down,mogan takes over and gives land back to britons and zimbabweans continue living in poverty.Who will we blame.Mind you saying white farmers is a very unfair generalisations.Not all whites have dirty minds like britons.Britons when you treat them nicely when they visit,when they go back they dont think of how to thank you they think of how to take away what is yours.Ask simon mansa kapwepwe if you doubt me or read africa twasebana.
I do not understand why the results have not been released, sounds cumbsome to me. What is there to hide?? I understand people are suspisious cause it does not make sense at all that we have to wait for this results until we don’t know. Mugabe should infact have given power in his party to someone else (younger actually). How can u be in power for 28 years and still want to continue, oh God forgive Mr. Mugabe for he does not know what he is doing
black people can not do anything themselves they need to be guided – atleast thats what history tells us. The thing is the race is too greedy at individual level. They dont take pride for their people or for the country or the continent. only hope is cross breading for the genes to change. Africa will always remain DARK! for what ever ‘light’ you see is glitered by foreigners. Am not racist because am also Black. i just wounder why our people are so backward while the rest of the worlds people have surged forward. why why??? whats wrong??…. help me!! somebody!!!!…..anybody!!!!
#26, I feel your helplessness and pain regarding the retrogressive tendencies of black leadership. History forever repeats itself and shows in broad light the instatiable greed of African politicians. What will it take for Africans, like #26 says, to cultivate inner sense of pride? When one is a leader it does not matter who makes a discovery, after all the achievement is shared by everyone. It’s sad that after so many decades of independence Africa is still embroiled in dirty politics. Mugabe should have taken a leaf from President Kaunda conceded defeat and let MT take the reigns. Mugabe is 84 years dead and has nothing to lose. The justiciary too is merely a travesty of justice.
#26 By the way, you are racist. Being black does not excuse you.The problem is not in the colour but in the mental attitude. Too many Africans want to blame IMF/World Bank/UK/USA/White people for their problems. They are too blind or too stupid to see that it is their own bad management and corruptness that has caused their problems.
Come on guys we are in the 21st century now. Britain got kicked out nearly 50 myears ago. Nobody is holding you back. Only yourselves
The results in Zim will never be released and Mugabe will go on as president illegally unless the Zimbabwean people do something about it.
#28 I agree with you, why are we always blaming the west for our problems. Wheneva we need loans/funding, when we have problems like Hunger poverty and Floods, we always run to them. I believe we need them much more than they need us.
So its about time we realised that we are poor managers are poor at Managing our own countries.
well its very difficult for the old man to accept defeat worst off from Tsvangirai who promised to have him arrested for all the crimes he commited including the violation of human rights and the most popular one being the Gukurahundi which almost annihilated the Ndebele Tribe soon after Independence.
Tsvangirai was beaten up many times so what do you think he will do in return as you all know that revenge is sour.
so the old man wants nothing than to die whilst on power. And what are we suppossed to when soldiers are everywhere just to beat up anyone who says anything about the results.
What did you expect when the Judges are under ZANU PF?
Mugabe for life. he is da real man for number one post in Zim
Going by what I heard this morning on BBC, I agree with you Sam. No one is interested in the politics of Zimbabwe, MDC called for a strike and no one is listening, people are going about their business as usual. I am beginning to agree with the guy who said if the Zimbos do not held themselves then no one will.
Mugabe wasn’t treated well by the bazungus and his fear is the ICJ court.let him rule till he dies.he was castrated by the colonial powers and what do you expect?
what a pity Levy did not take this chance to shine on the international scene..waco nee waco!!!!
#26 and # 28 you are saying the same thing – that black people are a letdown. I agree with both of you. We the black people are very quick at blaming others for our failures. Even Mugabe is blaming Britain and the USA and yet he and his cronies are the cause of the mess in Zimbabwe.
Africa should not be in this backward position with all the PhDs, Master’s and first degrees. They are in millions and yet those degrees are not being put to good use, with the exception of South Africa. Reason : the whites are putting the degrees to good use. Black people just use their degrees for bragging in bars, etc. End result is that Africa remains backward.
chibale(34),
How can he shine when there is overwhelming internal resistance in his MMD rank and file over this.MMD doesn’t want the Tsvingirai push succeed because their eyes are on 2011 when Levy is pushing for his own legacy.It could a precedence which they don’t want face them.
# 31, why do you say that?
#35 Right with you. Some of the world’s greatest leaders of the 20th Century were non-white. Mandela, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Mohammed Ali(My personal choice).But these guys could only blossom in a genuine democracy. A rose cannot blossom in the desert.
the fact that we could count the number of great black leaders shows there’s a problem.
#39 Count the great white leaders please. Leave out Mother Theresa and all the others that have started or finished wars
Zimbabwe opposition strike fails
Many Zimbabwean shops and businesses are open as usual despite opposition calls for a general strike to press for election results to be published.Correspondents say many people cannot afford to lose a day’s pay for MDC’s battle to officially handover Zimbabwe to foreign governments they mortgaged the country to before the elections.
Sometimes i feel inspired from the constructive comments on this blogg! The Zim topic i think has been well discussed. Lets just hope for the best in Zim though i can seen everything is working in the favour of ‘biltong'(so called because of dry and hard appearance – kalikokoboka ka shikulu!)
The problem I have is Mugabe and Kibaki have a mentor in elction rigging. The two want to impose themselves on the electorates. If you Zambia is being led by agenuinely elected government, you are very wrong. Fortunately we are only good at talking. We just talk chafuma ku mutima and let the loot continue. Another one thing is though ilgitimate, our can atleast deliver. Mugabe nonetheless has nothing to do with his country’s economy, all he wants is die head of state. To him that will be a great achivement!
The advent of “GUKHULAHUNDI II”. Really sad.
Apparently the results have been delayed because Mwai kibaki of kenya is not ansewring Mugabes phone calls were he needs to borrow the vote rigging marchine from Kibake. It seems Kibaki has decided he still needs the marchine.
#45 Brilliant!