Runoff To Decide Close Election In Zimbabwe
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
HARARE, Zimbabwe — A runoff will be necessary to decide Zimbabwe’s presidential election, a Cabinet minister said yesterday, citing the government’s own election results.
Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga’s comments came a day after Zimbabwe’s opposition rejected a runoff. That’s despite a press report that the official tally — still not released — showed its candidate beat President Mugabe, but not by enough to avoid a second round.
“As far as I’m concerned, there is going to be a runoff,” Mr. Matonga told the Associated Press.
On Wednesday, CNN quoted an unidentified senior official with Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party as saying results from the March 29 election gave opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai 47% of the votes while Mr. Mugabe trailed with 43%.
Mr. Matonga would not say whether the CNN report was correct or give details about the figures he said the government has. He said no one won the 50% plus one vote needed to avoid a runoff.
