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NZ govt on Zim elections
More than one million Zimbabweans lost right to vote, says Goff
13.03.2002 5.00 pm
Over one million Zimbabweans lost their right to vote in their country's controversial elections, Foreign Minister Phil Goff said today.
Mr Goff told Parliament that his discussions with observers and others showed the "election process had been so manipulated as to be unlikely to reflect the majority will of the people".
A verdict was expected on Wednesday, with early results showing President Robert Mugabe ahead of his main challenger Morgan Tsvangirai.
Shortly after noon today, results from 32 of the 120 constituencies in the southern African country showed Mugabe with 415,206 votes against 340,217 for Tsvangirai. This represented nearly a quarter of the 3.1 million ballots cast. Voter turnout was put at 55.4 per cent.
Mr Goff said he had been informed of intimidation including torture before and during the campaign, the opposition being denied access to the media and campaign, people not being allowed to vote and restrictions on observers.
Observers at the election believed "up to 1.2 million people had been disenfranchised by being ruled ineligible to vote or who were denied access to the polls to cast the vote".
Mr Goff confirmed the Government would wait for the formal report from observers at the election and response from the Commonwealth before deciding what action to take against Zimbabwe.
Mr Goff and Prime Minister Helen Clark have indicated they wish to impose sanctions in line with the European Union's stance.
Mr Goff said the Government "wouldn't hesitate" to act independently of the Commonwealth.
The final count will determine if Mr Mugabe can extend his rule for another six-year term or be replaced by former trade unionist Mr Tsvangirai, who accuses the 78-year-old president of rigging the election.
Tsvangirai, who heads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), has emerged as the toughest challenge yet to Mugabe's 22-year grip on power.
- NZPA
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