| Page 2 of 2 < |
Mugabe Is Trailing, Observer Team Says
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
The model's projections showed a narrower victory than Tsvangirai's organization, the Movement for Democratic Change, has claimed in a series of news conferences over the past two days. The party said its tabulations show Tsvangirai winning by 58 percent to Mugabe's 37 percent. It also claimed to have won a decisive majority in parliament.
Mugabe pledged Saturday that he would not rig the elections, despite widespread allegations that he manipulated votes in 2000, 2002 and 2005. He told reporters after casting his ballot in Harare, "I cannot sleep with my conscience if I have cheated."
But the delay in announcing official tallies of the presidential election has sharpened fears that Mugabe is planning to declare victory regardless of the results. The military is on high alert. Security forces are conducting increased patrols in and around Harare, where opposition support is most fervent.
"Have you not seen the heavy police presence all over?" said Sandra Kombora, 27, an unemployed mother who lives in a township outside Harare. "It's a sign that they know people are not likely to take a result other than what we expect and already know. Or maybe they just want to scare us to accept whatever result they are cooking up. We won't sleep until all the results are out."
Despite talk of huge street demonstrations, Zimbabwe has little history of such protests. Tsvangirai's party in particular has a dismal record in organizing major demonstrations.
But many analysts here see signs that Mugabe's machine is crumbling from within. Makoni, the independent candidate, was a member of the ruling party's inner circle before breaking with Mugabe in February; other longtime party insiders followed. Billboards featuring the president's image on a highway heading out of Harare were defaced by yellow paint.
Doubts have also been mounting about the loyalty of Mugabe's police and military. Opposition leaders say they have been privately encouraged by military and police officials.
Longtime opposition party activist David Coltart, who broke with Tsvangirai in a factional dispute in 2005 but on Saturday won a Senate seat, expressed doubt that street protests would materialize. "If there's going to be any response, it's going to be from the military and the police," Coltart said. "It's a volatile situation, but I don't know what will act as the spark."
