§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the election process in Zimbabwe. [130431]
§ Mr. HainWe welcome the detailed EU and Commonwealth Observer Mission reports. Both made clear that the election campaign was marred by violence and intimidation. Despite this, about half of the electorate turned out to vote in polls which were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. For the first time Zimbabwe has a sizeable opposition in Parliament, and the result demonstrates a clear desire for change on the part of the people of Zimbabwe. The Movement for Democratic Change is proposing to mount legal challenges in 26 constituencies.
The EU report has been placed in the Library of the House.