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Zimbabwe election was 'huge farce' - Morgan Tsvangirai Zimbabwe election was huge farce, says Morgan Tsvangirai
(about 2 hours later)
Zimbabwe's presidential election was a "huge farce", PM Morgan Tsvangirai has said, alleging vote-rigging by rival President Robert Mugabe's camp. Zimbabwe's election was a "huge farce", Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said, alleging vote-rigging by rival President Robert Mugabe's camp.
Mr Tsvangirai said that Wednesday's poll was "null and void". Mr Tsvangirai said Wednesday's presidential poll was "null and void".
The largest group of election observers described the vote as "seriously compromised" and said up to a million Zimbabweans were prevented from voting.The largest group of election observers described the vote as "seriously compromised" and said up to a million Zimbabweans were prevented from voting.
Mr Mugabe's party - which is claiming a victory - denied the accusations, saying the voting went smoothly. Mr Mugabe's party, which is claiming a victory, denied the accusations, saying the voting went smoothly.
The 89-year-old leader is running for a seventh term as president. The 89-year-old president is running for a seventh term.
The head of the African Union observer mission, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, said his initial assessment was that the vote was free and fair.
And other regional observers have praised the peaceful nature of the election.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has five days to declare who won the poll.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has five days to declare who won the poll.
The commission said vote counting at polling stations had been completed on Thursday, and results were now being collated, the AFP news agency reports. Unofficial reports suggest candidates from Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF have done well in the parliamentary election, which was also held on Wednesday.
It is illegal to publish unofficial election results in Zimbabwe. Police have warned they will take action against anyone trying to leak early results. Extra police units, some in riot gear, have been deployed in the capital, Harare.
There are, however, numerous unofficial reports suggesting that candidates from Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF have done well in the parliamentary elections which were also held on Wednesday. Legal challenges are now likely to follow, but much will depend on whether Zimbabwe's neighbours endorse the poll, says the BBC's Andrew Harding.
Extra police units - some in riot gear - have been deployed in the capital, Harare.
Legal challenges are now likely to follow, but much will depend on whether Zimbabwe's neighbours endorse the poll, the BBC's Andrew Harding in Johannesburg reports.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), the 15-member regional bloc, has said it will give its verdict on the elections on Friday, AFP reports.
'Sham election''Sham election'
Speaking at the headquarters of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in Harare, Mr Tsvangirai said: "Our conclusion is that this has been a huge farce.Speaking at the headquarters of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in Harare, Mr Tsvangirai said: "Our conclusion is that this has been a huge farce.
"The credibility of this election has been marred by administrative and legal violations which affected the legitimacy of its outcome."The credibility of this election has been marred by administrative and legal violations which affected the legitimacy of its outcome.
"It's a sham election that does not reflect the will of the people.""It's a sham election that does not reflect the will of the people."
The chair of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) - the largest grouping of domestic observers - has told the BBC that the voting was compromised as many people were unable to cast their ballots. Some international observers have praised the conduct of the election.
Solomon Zwana praised "the relative calm and peace that the election has enjoyed", but said the organisation remained "concerned about some cases of irregularities that have occurred in some areas". But the largest group of domestic observers, the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN), said the voting was compromised.
The ZESN said that potential voters were much more likely to be turned away from polling stations in urban areas, where support for Mr Tsvangirai is strong, than in President Mugabe's rural strongholds. ZESN chairman Solomon Zwana told the BBC the organisation remained "concerned about some cases of irregularities that have occurred in some areas".
The ZESN said potential voters were much more likely to be turned away from polling stations in urban areas, where support for Mr Tsvangirai is strong, than in President Mugabe's rural strongholds.
It claims that up to one million of the country's 6.4 million eligible voters were prevented from casting their ballots.It claims that up to one million of the country's 6.4 million eligible voters were prevented from casting their ballots.
'Free, fair and credible'
Zanu-PF's senior members were already celebrating their victory.Zanu-PF's senior members were already celebrating their victory.
"We have romped [to victory] in a very emphatic manner," one member - who asked not to be named - told AFP. "We have romped [to victory] in a very emphatic manner," one member, who asked not to be named, told AFP news agency.
Former minister David Coltart - who is a member of the breakaway MDC-Mutambara faction - said in a statement published on Facebook that he had lost his parliamentary seat. Detailing his suspicions over voting patterns in the Bulawayo East constituency, he said "Zimbabwe has been subjected to electoral fraud on a massive scale". Zanu-PF's information secretary, Rugare Gumbo, said observers from several countries were all satisfied with the conduct of the election.
'Dead' voters "I don't understand where this thing of saying the election was a farce is coming from," he told the BBC.
Mr Mugabe has pledged to step down after 33 years in power if he and his party lose. Britain said it was too early to comment on the outcome of the election, but noted the "peaceful atmosphere".
Zanu-PF and the MDC have shared an uneasy coalition government since 2009 under a deal brokered to end the deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year. A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said it was "concerned by the late publication of the electoral roll and reports of large numbers of voters who were turned away."
In addition to Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, there are three other candidates standing for the presidency: Welshman Ncube, leader of the breakaway MDC-Mutambara; Dumiso Dabengwa of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu), and Kisinoti Munodei Mukwazhe, who represents the small Zimbabwe Development Party (ZDP).
If no candidate in the presidential vote gains 50% of the ballots, a run-off will be held on 11 September.If no candidate in the presidential vote gains 50% of the ballots, a run-off will be held on 11 September.
Zanu-PF and the MDC have shared an uneasy coalition government since 2009 under a deal brokered to end the deadly violence that erupted after a disputed presidential poll the previous year.