Observers condemn army violence as Zimbabwe awaits election result

Reuters - Commonwealth observers on Thursday (August 2) condemned the Zimbabwean army's deadly use of force to break up protests in Harare by opposition supporters claiming a presidential election had been rigged by the ruling party. Former Ghanaian president John Mahama, speaking on behalf of the Commonwealth, told journalists that the group "categorically denounced" the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians during clashes on the streets of the capital of Zimbabwe in which troops opened fire on opposition demonstrators, killing three. The observers from the Commonwealth, the group of mainly former British colonies that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had been hoping to rejoin, had on Wednesday (August 1) reported a number of problems with the poll, including voter intimidation and urged the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to expedite the announcement of the results of the presidential vote. The ZEC said on Thursday it would call a news conference to say when the presidential results could be announced, saying media reports that the results would be released at 9 pm (1900 GMT) were inaccurate.