GOZ BEGINS ANNOUNCING RESULTS;

C O N F I D E N T I A L HARARE 003490 SIPDIS AF FOR P/DAS POWELL AND DAS SCHNEIDMAN AF/S FOR A. RENDER, D. BOOTH, AND T. FAULK AF/PD FOR PATIN AND HOWARD NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR GAYLE SMITH E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/01/10 TAGS: PGOV PINS ZI SUBJECT: GOZ BEGINS ANNOUNCING RESULTS; UNCONFIRMED RUMORS OF MDC SUCCESS ABOUND CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR TOM MCDONALD. REASON: 1.5(B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) INITIAL RESULTS OF THE JUNE 24-25 CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 02 HARARE 03490 261725Z PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WERE ANNOUNCED AT 1830 LOCAL TIME BY REGISTRAR GENERAL TOBIWA MUDEDE. THE THREE CONSTITUENCIES ANNOUNCED, ALL IN MATABELELAND PROVINCE, VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE (MDC) CANDIDATES. THE RUMOR MILL IS GIVING THE MDC VICTORIES IN ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF THE CONSTITUENCIES. UNCONFIRMED REPORTS GIVE THE MDC VICTORIES IN BULAWAYO, VICTORIA FALLS, HWANGE, GWANDA, MARONDERA, MASVINGO CENTRAL, HARARE NORTH AND HARARE CENTRAL. MDC WINNERS ARE SAID TO INCLUDE DAVID COLTART, WELSHMAN NCUBE, AND TRUDIE STEVENSON. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER MDC LEADER MORGAN TSVANGIRAI WON THE RACE IN BUHERA NORTH CONSTITUENCY. AT THIS WRITING, IT APPEARS THAT ZANU-PF LOSERS MAY INCLUDE SOME KEY MINISTERS, AS WELL AS MASHONALAND CENTRAL GOVERNOR BORDER GEZI, WAR VET LEADER HITLER HUNZVI, AND DEPUTY MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TONY GARA. AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL UNCONFIRMED RUMORS. AN MDC SOURCE ANNOUNCED HIMSELF "SATISFIED" WITH THE CONDUCT OF THE COUNTING. ISAAC MAPOSA OF THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY, WHO IS SPEARHEADING THE DOMESTIC OBSERVER EFFORT, EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE DELAY IN ANNOUNCING RESULTS WILL MAKE MANIPULATION OF THEM EASIER, SINCE MONITORS AND PARTY AGENTS WHO HAVE BEEN GUARDING THE BALLOT BOXES NIGHT AND DAY SINCE SATURDAY ARE BY NOW EXHAUSTED. ¶2. (U) OFFICIALS AT THE GOVERNMENT'S MEDIA CENTER, WHICH OPENED AT 11:00 A.M., ANNOUNCED AT ABOUT 3:30 P.M. THAT THE LARGE VOTER TURNOUT HAD DELAYED COUNTING, AND APPEALED FOR CALM AS THE RESULTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL PAGE 03 HARARE 03490 261725Z AWAITED. THEY SAID THAT POLICE WOULD BE DEPLOYED TO EVERY CONSTITUENCY IN THE COUNTRY AND WOULD REMAIN THERE UNTIL THE COUNTING PROCESS IS COMPLETED. ¶3. (U) AT THIS WRITING, AN EMBASSY OFFICER REPORTS THAT BULAWAYO IS CALM, AND HARARE IS AS WELL. ALL EMBASSY ELECTION OBSERVERS ARE SAFE. AN EAC MEETING WILL BE HELD ON JUNE 27. MCDONALD CONFIDENTIAL >