Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai in Harare, Thursday, Aug. 1 2013. Tsvagirai said the election is “null and void” due to alleged violations in the voting process, but president Robert Mugabe has denied vote rigging. (AP Photo)
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe election officials say that President Robert Mugabe won the presidential election with 61 percent of the vote, compared to 34 percent for challenger Morgan Tsvangirai.
The official state election commission announced results Saturday in which Mugabe Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party won 158 of the 210 parliament seats, giving it a two-thirds majority in the legislature that enables it to make amendments to the new constitution and existing laws.
Tsvangirai rejected Mugabe’s landslide victory, alleging massive voting fraud and calling for fresh elections. Tsvangirai said he will challenge the results in court.
Tsvangirai told a news conference that his Movement for Democratic Change party will not “participate in any government institutions” to protest what he said was voting fraud. Tsvangirai called for a peaceful response, despite the alleged voting fraud.
