200805061198 | Zimbabwe final results 'grand theft question'

Zimbabwe final results 'grand theft question'

Johannesburg - Zimbabwe's final election figures amounted to "grand theft", the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said in Johannesburg on Friday night.

The initial figures had given the MDC an "outright win", claimed MDC secretary general Tendai Biti.

The official figures announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Friday, had reduced this to below 50%, he said.

The ZEC announced on Friday that MDC presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai had taken 47.9% of the vote against President Robert Mugabe's 43.2%. A third candidate, Simba Makoni obtained 8.3%.

As no candidate achieved more than 50% of the vote, there would have to be a run-off vote - or a second election - between the two top candidates.

Zimbabwe legislation requires that this be held within 21 days of the announcement of the election result.

"The run-off is an attempt to reverse the people's gain that was achieved on March 29," charged Biti.

"It is consistent with a regime that is desperate and not ready to let go of power."

The MDC has called on the Southern African Development Community to hold and extraordinary summit on the electoral irregularities it claims have occurred in Zimbabwe.