AFRICA/ZIMBABWE – The re-election of Mugabe, who has also the majority to change the Constitution, has been contested

Harare (Agenzia Fides) - Robert Mugabe was re-elected President of Zimbabwe with 61% of the votes cast in the first round of the presidential and parliamentary elections on July 31. This was proclaimed by the Electoral Commission (ZEC), although one of its nine members resigned before the publication of the results, in sign of protest due to the lack of fairness in the electoral process.
The former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who according to ZEC obtained 34% of the vote, however, disputes the results claiming that the vote was marred by serious fraud.
Mugabe also obtained 160 deputies in the National Assembly against the 49 of the Tsvangirai party, the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change), managing to achieve the two-thirds of the majority required to amend the Constitution.
Tsvangirai has stated his intention to appeal and does not want to mobilize his supporters to take to the streets to protest.
The peaceful conduct of the elections this year was praised by all election observers, and even the Catholic Church (see Fides 02/08/2013). The 2008 elections were instead marked by violence against opposition supporters. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 05/08/2013)