Mugabe wins two-thirds majority but result disputed

President Robert Mugabe’s ruling party won a two-thirds majority in parliamentary elections, clearing the way for him to change Zimbabwe’s constitution and tighten his grip on power – despite the opposition’s refusal to accept the result and widespread accusations that the vote was flawed.

“This is a moment of victory for my party and the victory of my party translates itself, naturally, into a victory for our country,” declared a jubilant Mugabe as the final votes were being counted.

According to interim results, the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) won 74 seats, compared to 40 for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change. One seat went to an independent candidate, and five were still to be determined.

Under Zimbabwean law, 120 lawmakers are elected and Mugabe has the power to appoint an additional 30 himself in the 150-seat chamber.

Mugabe has long aimed for a two-thirds majority to enable him to amend the constitution without having to seek approval in a referendum – he lost a referendum in 2000.

He hopes to set up a Senate representing traditional chiefs, retired politicians and other eminent Zimbabweans. But critics claim the 81-year-old autocrat wants to pack the chamber with ‘cronies’ to maintain his influence as he heads toward retirement.

He also wants to be able to pick a successor without having to hold interim elections.

But Mugabe made it plain that he didn’t plan on stepping down any time in the near future.

“When I am a century old,” he replied in answer to a question about his retirement plans. He was only half joking.

The MDC – which won 57 seats in 2000 parliamentary elections and suffered particularly in rural areas this time – held crisis talks but came up with no clear plan of action.

“Today the world has seen the extent to which Mugabe is determined to hold on to power without due regard to the people,” MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai told a news conference after the party’s executive committee met.

“This election cannot be accepted as a reflection of Zimbabwe’s will,” he said. Tsvangirai stopped short of urging mass protests against the result, given the violent suppression of previous protests.

At his news conference, Mugabe was in a magnanimous mood toward the opposition. He called on the party to accept defeat gracefully and said he would be willing to work with it inside and outside parliament. But he made it plain that he would not tolerate even peaceful protests by MDC supporters.

“They are not a peaceful people,” said Mugabe. “Law and order instruments will be used to prevent any mass action that is likely to lead to lawlessness in the country.”

Mugabe shunned the colourful traditional attire he wore on the campaign trail in favour of a sports jacket and tie, but revealed his eccentric traits by standing between two life-sized stuffed lions in front of the state palace.

Police set up checkpoints on the roads leading to Harare to contain any trouble. A few angry MDC supporters kicked the cars of ZANU-PF supporters but otherwise there were no signs of demonstrations – or celebrations – over the outcome.

Streets bustled with people shopping and going to work, reflecting a mood of widespread weariness with politics in a nation beset with crippling unemployment and inflation.

In Mashonaland East, a rural stronghold for the ruling party, supporters of Mugabe banged drums and prepared to celebrate the final results.

Norbert Ncube, a roadside vendor of cigarettes and phone cards, said the results did not seem credible as the number of votes recorded in certain areas seemed higher than the number of voters.

“ZANU-PF had a majority in parliament in the past five years, but during that time we have seen factories shut down, jobs disappear and economic hardships increase. It will be worse now that they have more than the two-thirds majority,” Ncube said.

Stella Nasasa, a 31-year-old municipal worker, disagreed.

“It was free and fair. By that I mean there was no rigging and I am very happy,” said Nasasa as she removed election posters in a post-campaign clean-up.

Mugabe, one of Africa’s longest serving leaders, had hoped Thursday’s poll would give a stamp of legitimacy to his increasingly isolated and repressive regime. But the US and British governments – and independent rights groups - said it was skewed by Mugabe’s long history of violence and irregularities at the ballot box, as well as isolated violence.

Two of Mugabe’s nephews won seats, as did his sister Sabrina.

One surprise loser was Parliament speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa, once thought likely to succeed Mugabe. He lost in the central Kwekwe constituency. Heather Bennett, wife of MDC lawmaker Roy Bennett who was jailed last year following a scuffle in parliament, was allowed to stand on his behalf but also lost.

Jonathan Moyo, the former information minister and architect of Zimbabwe’s repressive media laws, was the only independent candidate to win a seat. Mugabe dismissed him after Moyo challenged the appointment of the country’s first woman vice president and potential successor to Mugabe.

The independent Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which deployed 6,000 observers nationwide, said as many as a quarter of those who tried to vote before 3.15pm on Thursday were turned away because they did not appear on the voter roll or failed to present proper identification.

Observers from neighbouring countries largely sympathetic to Mugabe said that the election was conducted in an “open, transparent and professional manner.” They did, though, express concern about the high number of people who were unable to cast ballots.