Zimbabwe’s election credible, fair – Obasanjo

Former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday in Harare described Zimbabwe’s harmonised election as credible and fair.
Obasanjo, who is the head of the AU Election Observer Mission, said that the bloc’s report noted some problems with the voters’ roll and of people being turned away from polling booths.
He stated this when he spoke with newsmen in Harare, according to a statement issued by the AU Commission monitoring team, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria online.
NAN reports that President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party appeared confident of a sweeping victory, going by remarks from the party’s spokesman while the opposition leader of the rival Movement for Democratic Change, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, on Thursday described the election a “sham”, stressing that results would plunge the country into further crisis.
“We are very happy this morning. We are very confident and excited. We think there is a sense of victory for us,” Zanu-PF spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, said.
He said the party expects that it will win between 130 seats and 140 seats in the 210-member parliament.
Results from about 30 per cent of seats in parliament showed Zanu-PF taking a strong early lead, with 52 seats to the MDC’s 10.
Mugabe’s party won some urban constituencies previously held by the rival MDC.
The final results of July 31 elections is expected to be announced on August 5.
Local elections observers, however noted there were problems with the voters’ roll in urban areas – long considered MDC strongholds.
Tsvangirai had on Thursday also declared the elections as “null and void” because of allegations of vote rigging.
Zanu-PF insists the polls were conducted in a “free and fair” manner.
The Zimbabwe Election Commission holds a similar position.
It would be recalled that in the 2008 election that was marred by violence, Tsvangirai won the first round but did not get enough votes to avoid a run-off.
Widespread intimidation, including the deaths of some 200 of his supporters, forced him to pull out of the runoff.
The presidential poll final results are only expected in the coming days and If no candidate gets at least 50 per cent of the votes, a runoff will be held on September 11.
The 89-year-old Mugabe, who has led Zimbabwe since 1980, has vowed to step down if he loses.