RAPAPORT… As night fell across Zimbabwe Monday, President Robert Mugabe’s military prepared for unrest as a general strike was called for Tuesday to oppose the High Court’s decision not to release presidential election results.
Mugabe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai urged Zimbabweans to show their disgust that returns from March 29 remain sealed. In return, police accused Tsvangirai’s MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) of inciting violence and stated “those who breach the peace will be dealt with severely and firmly.”
“The call by the MDC Tsvangirai faction is aimed at disturbing peace and will be resisted firmly by the law enforcement agents whose responsibility is to maintain law and order in any part of the country,” the police statement read.
Allegations of voter fraud have emerged from both sides. In the week following the election it was reported that the MDC won a majority in Zimbabwe’s 210 seat Parliament, but now the election commission is recounting 23 constituencies placing a majority in doubt.
“What we want is for the [electoral commission] to announce the results. We hope every Zimbabwean takes it upon themselves to speak out and be heard. Voting alone was not enough. We want our results, the time has come,” MDC’s vice president Thokhozani Khupe told reporters.