Supporters of the leader of Zimbabwe’s main opposition Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) are reportedly celebrating in major cities what they describe as a convincing victory in last Saturday’s general elections. Provisional results so far released by the electoral commission suggest opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is in the lead with incumbent President Robert Mugabe following in second place.
But the government earlier warned the opposition to be cautious in their claim since the rest of the results are yet to be released. Some opposition supporters are expressing fears the government could rig the rest of the results to hand victory over to incumbent President Mugabe.
Gordon Moyo is the executive director of Zimbabwe’s Bulawayo project, a non-governmental organization. From the commercial capital, Bulawayo he tells reporter Peter Clottey that Zimbabweans are ready to fight for their victory.
“The results that we have receive indicating that the opposition is very likely to get a landslide victory in these elections for Morgan Tsvangirai, it will be a whitewash for Robert Mugabe. The results show that the MDC faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai has got the upper hand in the urban areas, in the rural areas in the former strong holds of the ZANU-PF so far show that Morgan Tsvangirai is very popular and is winning the election,” Moyo noted.
He said there are a few more areas where elections results are yet to be declared.
“But what is said is that so far there are some other constituencies from Rural Mashonaland, ZANU-PF has not given us the figures. We think that is where they are going to cook the figures; we think that is where they are going ton play around to overturn the electoral victory for the MDC,” he said.
Moyo described as improbable news that incumbent President Mugabe would accept defeat in the elections.
“It is highly unlikely that Mugabe is going to accept defeat. There are two things that he is going to do; firstly he is rigging the elections in the rural areas, the elections have been done already, but they are trying to rig the figures so that they may either have more than Morgan Tsvangirai at the presidential level. Or they may create a situation whereby there is a run off. In fact they may have lowered their standard. Initially, they thought they were going to win the election or they will rig it so that they win the elections. But because of the sheer support that Morgan Tsvangirai has received from across the country… shows that it will be very difficult for Mugabe to rig the election or to steal it,” Moyo pointed out.
He said Zimbabweans are determined to make their voices heard.
“Certainly, the people of Zimbabwe will not let this victory be stolen from them. I for see a situation whereby Zimbabweans are going to defend their victory. I for see a situations whereby the members of parliament of the MDC who in my view are going to be far, far more than two-thirds majority, I don’t see them going to parliament if Mugabe steals the election. We are going to have stand still country whereby the opposition will say no to the electoral theft, whereby the members of parliament will not go to parliament to legitimize the Mugabe illegitimate victory,” he said.
Meanwhile Incumbent President Mugabe says he will accept the outcome of Saturday’s elections if the opposition wins the required over 50 percentage points.
Both local and international observers have reportedly declared the elections peaceful and credible.