Zimbabwe election: Roll of registered voters contains 2 million dead people…Says MDC

While 89 year old incumbent president Robert Mugabe of ZANU-PF (Zimbabwe African National union-Patriotic Front) party seeks to extend his 33-year rule, his major opponent, 61 year old Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) party hopes to win the election after three previously failed attempts.

The poll held yesterday is the first election under the country’s new constitution approved in March this year and is expected to end the factitious coalition between ZANU-PF and MDC, which was brokered by regional mediators after disputed elections in 2008 were marred by violence. The coalition found Mugabe as president and Tsvangirai as Prime Minister.

Long queues were reported across the country, during the keenly contested election which barred western observers and is to be decided by 6.4 million voters. Elections started by 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT) and had been due to close at 19:00 although Zimbabwean election officials allowed people to vote after the official ending of polling due to a massive turn out.

On Tuesday, MDC charged ZANU-PF with allegations of doctored roll of registered voters which was released by the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) at the eve of the election after weeks of delay. The MDC alleged that the roll of registered voters dated back to 1985 and contains 2 million names of dead people. However, Mr Mugabe dismissed the accusations of vote-rigging as “politicking” and said he would step down if he and his ZANU-PF party lost the election.

Three other candidates ran for presidency in addition to Mr Mugabe and Mr Tsvangirai, they are Welshman Ncube leader of the breakaway MDC-Mutambara; Dumiso Dabengwa of the Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU), and Kisinoti Munodei Mukwazhe who represents small Zimbabwe Development Party.

Results of the reportedly orderly election are said to be due in 5 days.

I keep wondering what an 89 year old man who has been in the seat of power for 33 years still wants to do with power.