By Tererai Karimakwenda
Sun June 28, 2008
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Sunday announced the results of the presidential runoff between Robert Mugabe and - Robert Mugabe. MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the race a week before the poll, citing massive violence and intimidation, including the assassination of nearly 100 of it’s key officials.
Even before any of the ‘results’ were out Mugabe was claiming an overwhelming win. According to ZEC, Mugabe won the election with 85.51 percent of the vote, receiving 2,150,269 votes compared to 233,000 for Tsvangirai, whose name had been left on the ballots. There were 131,481 spoilt ballots.
Announcing the winner, the chief elections officer Lovemore Sekeramayi said: "I therefore declare the said Mugabe, Robert Gabriel, the duly elected president of the Republic of Zimbabwe," As soon as results were announced, the Congress of South African Trade Unions released a strongly worded statement urging African countries to refuse to recognise Robert Mugabe as the legitimate head of state of Zimbabwe. COSATU appealed to them to bar Mugabe from attending any meetings of the African Union or SADC.
COSATU spokesperson Patrick Craven explained that Africa should not legitimise the rule of a dictator who is imposing his will through violence and intimidation.
He said: “The African leaders should recognise an interim government that would organise proper elections that are free and fair. Mugabe lost his mandate on March 29 and they should not invite him to any AU meetings.”
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