Zimbabwe presidential vote count complete

The results of Zimbabwe's disputed presidential election are due to be released today, a month after the vote, now a partial recount is complete, an election official said yesterday.

The wait for the March 29 election result has led to a tense stand-off that has raised fears of bloodshed and drawn opposition accusations that President Robert Mugabe is trying to rig the outcome to keep his 28-year hold on power.

A win for Mr Mugabe, whose ruling party lost control of Parliament in the election, would deepen the economic collapse of the once prosperous country, political analysts say.

Western powers are likely to pour in aid and investment if victory goes to Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Mr Tsvangirai accuses Mr Mugabe of using the delay in results to rig victory in a run-off.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said recounting in five remaining constituencies had been completed yesterday.

"I'm getting the information that they are now collating the results, which will be available tomorrow," spokesman Utoile Silaigwana said.

The results will still need to be verified by the candidates and that could take up to a week because candidates are likely to dispute the results, Mr Silaigwana said.

Zimbabweans had hoped the election would ease an economic crisis. Instead severe food, fuel and foreign currency shortages are worsening and there are no signs an inflation rate of 165,000 per cent - the world's highest - will ease. Mr Tsvangirai, who says he won an outright majority in the first round of voting and has rejected an expected run-off, urged the 84-year-old Mugabe to step down.