Alleged election fraud: Zimbabwe president blames opposition after deadly protest

HARARE: Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday blamed the MDC opposition party after soldiers opened fire and a man was shot dead during demonstrations over alleged election fraud.

"We hold the opposition MDC Alliance and its whole leadership responsible for this disturbance of national peace which was meant to disrupt the electoral process," he said in a statement.

Zimbabwe opposition leader’s spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda said that the army’s reaction in quelling disturbances in the capital was disproportionate and unjustified.

At least one person was killed in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare as soldiers opened fire to disperse stone-throwing opposition supporters who accused the ruling party of trying to rig Monday’s presidential election, witnesses said.

The United States called on Zimbabwean forces to use restraint when dispersing opposition protesters after at least one man was shot dead in Harare during demonstrations Wednesday against alleged election fraud.

"We urge leaders of all parties to call for calm... We further urge the Defense Forces of Zimbabwe to use restraint in dispersing protesters," the US embassy said in a statement, adding it was "deeply concerned" by events in the Zimbabwean capital.

European Union observers said on Wednesday that Zimbabwe’s elections had been held on an "un-level playing field" as opposition MDC supporters protested against alleged fraud by the election authority and ruling ZANU-PF party. Official results strengthened President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s prospects of holding on to power in the key presidential vote, showing that ZANU-PF had easily won the most seats in the parliamentary ballot.

Several hundred opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters gathered outside the party headquarters in Harare, chanting and shouting that they had won the elections.

Anti-riot police backed by water cannon trucks monitored the demonstrators, while MDC supporters also protested outside the conference centre where election results are being announced.

The EU mission found an "improved political climate, but (an) un-level playing field and lack of trust in the process," it said in a statement, two days after Zimbabwe’s first ballot since Robert Mugabe was ousted by the military ending his 37-year rule.

EU chief observer Elmar Brok said there were "efforts to undermine the free expression of the will of the electors through inducements, soft intimidation, pressure and coercion... to try to ensure a vote in favour of the ruling party."

"On many occasions, preparation, financing, media and hopefully not in the counting -- it was advantageous for the ruling party," he told AFP as the mission called for transparency in the release of results.

Mnangagwa, 75, had promised a free and fair vote after the military ushered him to power in November when Mugabe was forced to resign. Under Mugabe, elections were marred by fraud and often deadly violence, with the EU mission banned since 2002.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Wednesday that of 210 parliamentary seats, 153 had been counted with ZANU-PF winning 110 and the MDC Alliance 41.

"The results are biased, trying to give the impression that ZANU has won," said Lawrence Maguranyi, 21, an MDC supporter and university student protesting at the party headquarters. MDC leader Nelson Chamisa, 40, said the presidential results were fraudulent.

"ZEC seeks to... reverse the people’s presidential election victory. The strategy is meant to prepare Zim mentally to accept fake presidential results," he tweeted. "We won the popular vote and will defend it!"

The regional SADC bloc, in its preliminary report, said Wednesday that the campaign and election had "proceeded in a peaceful and orderly manner and were largely in line" in Zimbabwean law.

It called for any aggrieved candidates to "refrain from any form of violence". If no presidential candidate wins at least 50 percent of the ballots cast in the first round, a run-off vote is scheduled for September 8. The electoral commission warned that final results of the presidential first round may not be known until Friday or even Saturday.