Zimbabwe opposition ahead in the polls

Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic change has won nine out of the first 10 parliamentary seats for which votes have been tallied, electoral officials said today.

Elections yesterday for the 120 contested seats in Zimbabwe’s parliament were largely peaceful. But opposition leaders and independent observers said the vote was skewed in favour of President Robert Mugabe’s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front, which they accused of intimidating voters ahead of the poll.