Mugabe's Zanu-PF loses majority

[Eugene]

Source: BBC News

Page last updated at 14:43 GMT, Wednesday, 2 April 2008 15:43 UK

Mugabe's Zanu-PF loses majority

President Robert Mugabe's party has lost its majority
in parliament, the Zimbabwe Election Commission says.

It says Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party has taken 94 of the
207 contested seats, while opposition parties have won
105. One seat has gone to an independent.

Although seven seats have yet to be declared, this
means Zanu-PF cannot win an overall majority.

The opposition MDC says its leader won the presidential
election but official results have not yet been released.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7326968.stm

[mainegreen]

1. The ZEC actually said that? Wow..... suprising.

I would have expected them to lie.
The rats may actually attempt to save the ship!

[David__77]

2. Elections have been fair in Zimbabwe.

The ZANU-PF, believe it or not, has had a solid base of support there for decades. It did free the country from settler colonialism and all, Mugabe's reactionary and backward positions notwithstanding.

[tidy_bowl]

5. I wouldn't say trading....

.....one tyranny for another to be an improvement. You have noticed the latest inflation rate there? The man has completely destroyed a once prosperous net farm exporting nation.

[Zynx]

7. There have been persistent irregularities over the years and substantial intimidation.

As far as freeing the country, that maybe true, but that was 28 years ago and no one knew then how ruinous Mugabe would be. As it turned out, he has been much worse than just backward and reactionary.

[Matilda]

4. The ZEC haven't yet declared the official result.

They must know by now, but perhaps they're not brave enough to break the news to Mugabe. I think
this time, if they don't post a result that's at least close to the truth, there will be big trouble
in the streets.

It would be best for the country if Mugabe would agree to take his loot and go quietly - it's more
than he deserves.

[applegrove]

3. Great news.

[LeftishBrit]

6. Good.

I hope Mugabe will go quietly.

[Vogon_Glory]

8. With Pinochet/Videla-style Immunity?

I suspect that if Mugabe is willing to leave office at all, he's probably dickering for a Pinochet or a Videla-style immunity for his actions during his reign of terror on the Matabeles and other ethnic groups in post-independence Zimbabwe.