Partial vote recount resumes

                     Blessing Chapwati    

                                                        19/04/2008 00:12

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has begun a partial recount of votes in 23 constituencies from the March 29 elections, despite efforts by the opposition to block the process it has described as a ploy to steal the vote.

The recount being done in 23 of 210 constituencies could overturn the opposition’s majority in parliament.

In the March 29 returns, the two Movements for Democratic change opposition formations combined won 109 seats for the first time against 97 for the ruling party ZANU PF.

ZANU-PF lost 21 out of the 23 constituencies in the original count. Results of the presidential poll are yet to be released more than three weeks after the election which the opposition has claimed victory with a 50.3 majority.

In a statement on the state radio, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission confirmed the resumption of the recounting process which started at 8 am GMT and is expected to take three days.

The electoral commission has said some foreign observers will be allowed to monitor the recount.

A delegation from the 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) is expected to be present, with South Africa's foreign affairs deputy director-general for Africa, Kingsley Mamabolo, leading the mission.

It is unclear when results of the recount, which includes votes cast in the presidential election, will be issued. ZEC has been secretive on the recounting process and sketch details have been available to the media.

The ruling party ZANU-PF called for the recounting after lodging complaints of irregularities in the counting process. ZANU PF has accused the Tsvangirai led MDC for bribing election officials to inflate or undercount votes for President Mugabe to ensure a landslide victory for the opposition.

MDC has rejected the claims as an excuse by ZANU PF to push for a run off and a plot to rig the elections. At least 10 election officials have been arrested facing charges of electoral fraud.

The security of the ballot boxes has been a major concern that could tarnish the recount.

MDC rejects recount

The MDC, which has declared victory in both the parliamentary and presidential races, tried to stop the recount, but Harare's High Court rejected its bid on Friday. The court had previously rejected an MDC effort to force authorities to release the result of the presidential vote.

In an interview with Zimeye, MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said his party had nothing to do with the recounting.

“We have nothing to do with the recounting process. We will not participate in an illegitimate process meant to reverse the will of the people, “ Chamisa said.

Political analysts have scoffed at the swift response by ZEC to recount the votes at the behest of ZANU PF. To date several court challenges for the 2000 and 2005 elections filed by MDC remain unresolved.

More than five MDC supporters have died with at least 25 admitted in hospital after being beaten by suspected ZANU PF youths and war veterans as retribution of support for the opposition.

ZANU PF militias and war veterans have set up terror camps in rural areas with the worst cases of violence recorded in Mutoko and Mudzi districts to cow opposition supporters into submission before a possible run off.

Mugabe went on the attack on Friday, accusing former colonial power Britain of paying Zimbabweans to turn against his government.

"Down with the British. Down with thieves who want to steal our country," Mugabe told 15,000 cheering supporters who gathered in a stadium on the outskirts of Harare to mark Independence Day.