Zimbabwe: Electoral official quits,Tsvangirai to go court

A top Zimbabwean election official has resigned over the conduct of elections in an explicit condemnation of President Robert Mugabe’s anticipated win.

In a letter sent to Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, seen by AFP on Saturday, Mkhululi Nyathi, a member of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, said the polls on Wednesday did not meet the benchmarks of fairness.

“I do not wish to enumerate the many reasons for my resignation, but they all have to do with the manner (in which) the … elections were proclaimed and conducted,” Nyathi wrote.

“Throughout the whole process I retained some measure of hope that the integrity of the whole process could be salvaged along the way. This was not to be, hence my considered decision to resign.”

Nyathi, one of nine members of the electoral commission, said his resignation had nothing to do with the outcome of the process.

“I wish, through this letter, to salute the people of Zimbabwe for conducting themselves with dignity and calm throughout the whole process.

“However, these are not only the benchmarks for free, fair and legitimate elections.”

Nyathi’s resignation came as the Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Saturday said his party would challenge the result of fiercely disputed elections in the courts.

“There is national mourning in the country,” Tsvangirai said shortly before President Robert Mugabe was expected to be declared the victor. “We will go to court.”

He also said the opposition would boycott government institutions to protest the vote believed to have been rigged to return 89 year old Mugabe to power.

“We will not engage in institutions of government,” said Tsvangirai. “We will not join government.”

Mugabe’s ZANU-PF in the results declared so far, claimed to have won a super majority, winning 150 seats, 10 more than the 140 seats they needed to have a two-third majority, in the 210- member house.