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ITN
Recount in Zimbabwe
Recount in Zimbabwe
Officials in Zimbabwe are to hold a recount of the disputed elections, according to reports.The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission will conduct a partial recount of votes cast in 23 constituencies on April 19, the state-run Sunday Mail newspaper reported.Commission chairman George Chiweshe said President Robert Mugabe demanded the move after early results showed he had lost the election but got enough votes to force a run-off vote against opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has said its lawyers will challenge a recount in the courts.The news came after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown described the country's continuing political deadlock as "appalling".Mr Brown warned Mr Mugabe the world's patience was "running thin" with his failure to release the results of the poll after almost two weeks.He added: "The democratic rights of the Zimbabwean people have got to be respected. We cannot wait any longer for the announcement of these results."It is appalling if there is intimidation and violence. It is completely unacceptable and the whole eyes of the world are on Zimbabwe now."The UK has urged African leaders, who met for an emergency summit of the Southern African Development Community in Zambia, to help find a solution.Foreign Secretary David Miliband said there was a "constitutional crisis" in Zimbabwe and the Mugabe regime now lacks legitimacy.But South African President Thabo Mbeki insisted there was "no crisis" after meeting Mr Mugabe.The MDC has been banned from public demonstrations in Zimbabwe.And human rights groups such as Amnesty International reported credible information suggesting a programme of "co-ordinated retribution against known and suspected opposition supporters".
ITN | April 13, 2008
