Latest Channel 4 News:
Row over Malaysian state's coins
'Four shot at abandoned mine shaft'
Rain fails to stop Moscow wildfires
Cancer blow for identical twins
Need for Afghan progress 'signs'

MDC legal action for poll results

By James Blake

Updated on 04 April 2008

Zimbabwe's the Movement for Democratic Change files a High Court action calling for publication of the presidential election results.

They are convinced Mr Mugabe is playing for time and they have a majority.

The move comes as Robert Mugabe chairs a meeting this lunchtime of the ruling Zanu-PF Politburo to decide on his next step.

Yesterday the president emerged to blame the opposition of cheating.

These comments proved to be the start of a clamp-down by security services.

They raided the hotel where opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was staying.

At another hotel two people have been arrested and jailed - accused of practising journalism illegally.

One is a correspondent with the New York Times. The other is a British man - who, according to the Foreign Office has been allowed a visit from the British consul.

And, here, the Foreign Office has confirmed that a British man is being held by the Zimbabwean authorities on suspicion of practising journalism without accreditation.

The president is meeting his inner circle - his polit buru today - after which Zanu-PF is expected to announce a second run-off election, which could take place in up to 90 days.

It gives Robert Mugabe enough time to re-organise.

Peace may be optimistic. Zanu-PF has justified the police raids on the opposition by saying the MDC broke the law by declaring a premature victory in the elections.

Send this article by email

More on this story

Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.


Watch the Latest Channel 4 News

Watch Channel 4 News when you want

Latest International politics news

More News blogs

View RSS feed

Living with the Taliban

Taliban on the Afghan frontline

A rare film of Taliban fighters on the Afghan frontline.

Pakistan appeal

image

Actor Art Malik on why he is fronting the DEC's flood appeal.

Tackling Taliban IEDs

image

Bomb disposal soldiers on lonely walk to defuse bombs.

Snowmail




Channel 4 © 2010. Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of external websites.