Pooka
04-26-08, 02:30 PM
Zimbabwe's electoral commission has released seven more results from a partial recount of last month's parliamentary elections.
None of the original results were overturned, making it difficult for the ruling Zanu-PF party to overturn an opposition majority in the lower house.
Ten opposition-held seats remain to be declared and Zanu-PF now needs to win nine to be sure of regaining control.
Results have still not been released from the parallel presidential poll.
The failure to do so, four weeks on from the vote, is causing mounting concern internationally.
US Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer said the level of government intimidation in Zimbabwe was now so high that a fair run-off would not be possible.
She said the only solution was an inclusive government, led by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Recount unfinished
The state-run Zimbabwe Herald newspaper said Zanu-PF had retained two seats and the opposition MDC four seats, while a breakaway MDC group held the seventh.
Another six have already been declared, but in 10 the recount is still unfinished a week after it was announced.
The BBC's Will Ross in Johannesburg, South Africa says the electoral commission is not making the process easy to follow, and results are being issued in a haphazard fashion.
There is still no word on the presidential election, although there are reports that results will be released when the parliamentary recount ends.
The MDC says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, won the election outright, while independent monitors say he fell just short of the 50% threshold to avoid a run-off.
Zanu-PF also says there is likely to be a run-off, as no candidate gained more than 50% of the vote.
The results come a day after the MDC's main Harare office and the headquarters of an independent monitoring network were raided by police.
Police said they had arrested 215 people suspected of involvement in political violence.
The opposition said those detained had been taking refuge from attacks by ruling party activists in other parts of the country, and told the Associated Press news agency they included pregnant women and men with broken bones.
Computers and documents were also seized in the raid.
The MDC says its activists have been attacked around the country - with at least 10 killed - since the elections.
But the police and Zanu-PF say that no-one has died in political violence.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has fled Zimbabwe, fearing for his safety and is touring African countries, trying to persuade them to press President Robert Mugabe to step down.
Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7368481.stm)
None of the original results were overturned, making it difficult for the ruling Zanu-PF party to overturn an opposition majority in the lower house.
Ten opposition-held seats remain to be declared and Zanu-PF now needs to win nine to be sure of regaining control.
Results have still not been released from the parallel presidential poll.
The failure to do so, four weeks on from the vote, is causing mounting concern internationally.
US Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer said the level of government intimidation in Zimbabwe was now so high that a fair run-off would not be possible.
She said the only solution was an inclusive government, led by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Recount unfinished
The state-run Zimbabwe Herald newspaper said Zanu-PF had retained two seats and the opposition MDC four seats, while a breakaway MDC group held the seventh.
Another six have already been declared, but in 10 the recount is still unfinished a week after it was announced.
The BBC's Will Ross in Johannesburg, South Africa says the electoral commission is not making the process easy to follow, and results are being issued in a haphazard fashion.
There is still no word on the presidential election, although there are reports that results will be released when the parliamentary recount ends.
The MDC says its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, won the election outright, while independent monitors say he fell just short of the 50% threshold to avoid a run-off.
Zanu-PF also says there is likely to be a run-off, as no candidate gained more than 50% of the vote.
The results come a day after the MDC's main Harare office and the headquarters of an independent monitoring network were raided by police.
Police said they had arrested 215 people suspected of involvement in political violence.
The opposition said those detained had been taking refuge from attacks by ruling party activists in other parts of the country, and told the Associated Press news agency they included pregnant women and men with broken bones.
Computers and documents were also seized in the raid.
The MDC says its activists have been attacked around the country - with at least 10 killed - since the elections.
But the police and Zanu-PF say that no-one has died in political violence.
MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai has fled Zimbabwe, fearing for his safety and is touring African countries, trying to persuade them to press President Robert Mugabe to step down.
Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7368481.stm)