HARARE UNEASILY QUIET AS ELECTION RESULT WAIT DRAGS

▶ Minister orders peace after police clampdown on protests the day before takes Zimbabwe death toll to six

Soldiers and police cleared the streets of central Harare on Thursday as the Zimbabwean authorities came under pressure to release election results after a deadly crackdown on protesters.

“The presidential election results will start to be announced around 10pm,” Zimbabwe Election Commission head Qhubani Moyo said. “We are hopeful that all of them will be announced today.”

Zimbabwe’s ruling party and the main opposition group on Thursday both declared that they won the presidential election ahead of the results announcement, reflecting a bitter rivalry that was exacerbated by deadly violence.

Elections, the first since autocrat Robert Mugabe was ousted last year, turned bloody on Wednesday when troops opened fire on demonstrations against claimed electoral fraud, killing three. That brought the death toll to six and prompted an international outcry.

The government accused the Movement for Democratic Change opposition party of inciting the turmoil and vowed to enforce a security clampdown.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday said he wanted an independent investigation into the killings.

Soldiers were on guard outside the headquarters of the ruling Zanu-PF party, while armoured personnel carriers, water cannon trucks and police anti-riot vans took position outside the opposition party offices.

Soldiers brandishing assault rifles and police shouted at pedestrians and traders to leave central Harare.

“I wasn’t sure whether it’s safe to come to work. We had to consult among ourselves,” said one worker.

Late on Wednesday night, Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu said more protests would not be tolerated.

“The opposition are testing our resolve and I think they are making a big mistake,” Mr Mpofu said.

The MDC said the army opened fire “for no apparent reason”, killing unarmed civilians.

The presidential election race has pitted Mr Mnangagwa, 75, Mr Mugabe’s former ally in Zanu-PF, against the opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who is 35 years his junior.

In official results from the parliamentary election, also held on Monday, Zanu-PF won easily, suggesting Mr Mnangagwa would be on course to hold on to the presidency.

But the MDC has said it won the elections outright and accused the government and Zimbabwe Election Commission of rigging the count.

The commission said the final results of the presidential race might not be known until Saturday.

Monday’s polls had been meant to turn the page on years of violent elections and brutal repression after Mr Mugabe’s 37-year rule was ended by a brief military takeover in November.

But the mood turned to anger as MDC supporters rallied in the city, chanting and burning tyres in the streets.

“The government’s reaction only made things worse. It was heavy-handed,” said trader Timie Manuwere, 37.

“But I didn’t expect things to really change much with the elections. It was highly unlikely these guys would just give up power after eight months.”

Mr Mnangagwa promised a free and fair vote after the military ushered him to power when Mr Mugabe was forced out.

A credible and peaceful election was meant to end Zimbabwe’s international isolation and attract foreign investment to revive the shattered economy.

Election observers issued on Thursday “denounced the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians”.

Before the violence, EU observers declared they found an “unlevel playing field and lack of trust” in the election process. It called for transparency in the release of results.

The UN and former colonial power Britain expressed concern over the violence and urged “restraint”. Under Mr Mugabe, elections were often marred by fraud and deadly violence.

Of 210 parliamentary seats, 207 have been counted with Zanu-PF winning 144 and the MDC Alliance 61.

Mr Chamisa said the results were fraudulent.

“We have won this one together. No amount of results manipulation will alter your will,” he tweeted before the army was sent in on Wednesday.

ZEC chairwoman Priscilla Chigumba, a high court judge, has flatly denied allegations of bias and rejected accusations of rigging.

I didn’t expect things to really change much It was highly unlikely these guys would give up power after eight months TIMIE MANUWERE Harare trader