Vote Counting in Zimbabwe - 2002-03-13

Independent observers have condemned the presidential election in Zimbabwe, stating that the elections were fundamentally flawed. However, election officials in Zimbabwe are busy counting the votes to determine the winner of the contentious presidential election. A coalition of local non-governmental organizations in Zimbabwe has stated that the elections cannot be considered predominantly free and fair. A Norwegian observer team reported that the elections in Zimbabwe were inconsistent with basic and generally accepted international standards. The European Union and the United States have also criticized the significant delays faced by voters at polling stations. The results of the Zimbabwean elections, which concluded yesterday, are expected to be announced tomorrow. The main contenders in the election were current President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who fiercely competed against each other. Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the opposition groups, named Welshman Ncube, the Secretary-General of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, has been accused of treason. He is alleged to have conspired to assassinate Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe. The opposition party has strongly denied these allegations.