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Patrick Chinamasa

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11 Mar, 2002

Re-elected

Wins Election0 Comments

The Zimbabwe registrar-general declares that Mugabe wins a fifth term in office after the results from all 120 constituencies are returned. Mugabe wins 1,685,212 votes against 1,258,401 for challenger Tsvangirai. Mugabe makes a net gain of votes compared with the 2000 parliamentary election in every province in the country. While there is evidence of vote tampering in some areas, most of the ballots dropped into the box with a cross by Mugabe’s name are not fraudulent. There is no criticism of the count, and election observers from South Africa, Nigeria and Namibia effectively endorsed the election. Namibian observer:

It is our considered view that the election was free and fair and reflects the wishes of the people of Zimbabwe. [The poll] was watertight, without room for rigging”.

Justice Minister Chinamasa:

This is a runaway victory. It was won on the issue of the land.

Tsavrangai:

We foresaw electoral fraud but not daylight robbery. We find ourselves unable to endorse the purported election of President Robert Mugabe as Zimbabwe’s president in this election. It’s the biggest election fraud I’ve witnessed in my life.