Zimbabwe

Polls close amid reports of voter intimidation

Article published on the 2008-06-27 Latest update 2008-06-27 17:24 TU

A voter casts a ballot in Harare
(Photo: Reuters)

Election officials closed polling centres at 7 PM on Friday in Zimbabwe, ending the run-off election in which President Robert Mugabe was the only candidate. Riot police were out and in Harare polling stations were nearly empty, reports correspondent Ryan Truscott. State radio reported high turnout in rural areas. Election monitors have confirmed the low turnout in urban areas.

“In most polling stations there were not long queues, especially in urban areas,” Rindai Chipfundevaja, director of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, an independent monitoring organisation, told RFI. “We received reports of voters being forced to vote in rural areas.”

An opposition spokesman told RFI that rural voters were checked to make sure their fingers were stained with polling ink.

A spokesman for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said that counting would start immediately, but the first results are not expected until Saturday.

Mugabe told reporters that he was feeling optimistic and upbeat when he voted at lunchtime. He is running unopposed.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who won the first round of elections, pulled out of the run-off on Sunday, saying that his supporters had been told they would be killed if they voted for him.

Mugabe’s government has denied the accusations, and accuses Tsvangirai of trying to get attention.