Zimbabwe Poll Short of Standards

(PANA)--An African Union (AU) election observer mission to Zimbabwe said Monday the presidential run-off poll held in the country Friday fell short of continental standards, citing violence and biased public media coverage.

President Robert Mugabe won the vote, which his sole opposition challenger pulled out from at the last minute, citing violence and intimidation.

In a preliminary report, the AU observer team said the election was marred by serious pre-election violence which "deterred popular participation in the electoral process."

The opposition claimed at least 85 of its supporters were killed by government militants in the run-up to Friday’s election, a charge denied by the authorities.

The government counter-accused the opposition of violence.

The AU observers said the government also denied the opposition acces to the pub lic media, in violation of the country’s electoral laws.

In the circumstances, the observers said "in the context of the AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa, it is the considered view of the African Union Observer Mission that the electoral process fell short of accepted AU standards."

The same view was echoed earlier by the Pan African Parliament, which said the vote was invalid and called for a fresh presidential election.

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