Zimbabwe PM declares election ‘a huge farce’

Prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai dismissed the election in Zimbabwe as a farce after his rival President Robert Mugabe’s party claimed a landslide victory that would secure another five years in power for Africa’s oldest head of state.

Speaking to reporters at the headquarters of his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), a downbeat Tsvangirai said Wednesday’s vote should be considered invalid because of polling day irregularities and vote-rigging by 89-year-old Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party.

“This has been a huge farce,” Tsvangirai said. “In our view, that election is null and void.” It was unclear whether he or his party will mount any kind of legal challenge.