Post date: Aug 01, 2013 9:52:22 AM
Zimbabweans wait for the official results of Wednesday's elections and hope that their next government will bring a better future.
HARARE, ZIMBABWE (AUGUST 1, 2013) (REUTERS) - With no official results released from Zimbabwe's election, the two main rival parties were already engaged in a duel of conflicting claims on Thursday (August 1).
President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party said it had won a landslide victory, but its rival, Prime Minster Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), rejected this, alleging "monumental fraud".The early conflicting claims from the two sides heralded an acrimonious dispute over the outcome and raised fears of a repeat of violence that marred a 2008 election.
In the capital Harare, the streets appeared nearly empty.
Newspapers ran headlines alleging vote theft by the ruling ZANU-PF, but there were few people buying.
Among those brave enough to venture out on the streets, local resident Ronaldexpressed hope that the new government would improve living standards inZimbabwe.
"I expect a better Zimbabwe, a better future for the young generation and the generations to come, so the one who is coming to power should provide us with everything that includes jobs, better education and a lot of things," Ronald told Reuters Television.
Local resident Peterson said he did not see any problems with the way the elections have been conducted.
"For yesterday's elections I don't think there is any problem, the environment was so conducive for the elections, and just we Zimbabweans are proud of that, but all of us we are just waiting for the results, that is the main thing and that is the only thing everyone is worrying about, we are worried about the results only."
Wednesday's (July 31) voting was peaceful across the southern African nation.
Releasing unofficial results early in Zimbabwe is illegal, and police have said they will arrest anybody who makes premature claims about the result. Election authorities were due to announce results within five days from Wednesday.
But a senior source in Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, who asked not to be named, said the outcome was already clear.
An independent election monitor in Zimbabwe, who also could not be named for fear of arrest, said early results were looking like a "disaster" for Tsvangirai, who was making his third bid to unseat the 89-year-old Mugabe.