[ Jan Tobiassen ] Robert Mugabe (Zanu-PF), president of Zimbabwe since the independence in 1980, has won an unprecedented fifth time in office. He won over his rival, Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC), with 54 to 40%. This seemingly clear victory is massively criticised by several organisations. Reginald Matchaba-Hove, chairman of the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) - a coalition of non-governmental organisations – said: "The election is total confusion and chaos... there is no way these elections can be described as substantially free and fair."

Apparently, a lot of voters had to face serious delays when trying to vote. From start to finish, from voter registration to the vote itself, the mission, the largest European delegation, found flaws. Amnesty International is deeply worried about almost 1,500 opposition polling station officials and independent election observers who had been detained during the election. Four diplomats were arrested prior to the election as well.

Mr. Tsvangirai claimed: "We have been cheated of the right to freely and democratically elect the president of our choice." The opposition leader seems to have a stronger claim than usual. The serious fraud that most neutral observers and Zimbabweans suspect has led to increased security measures from the Zimbabwean government. Ca. 100 soldiers have surrounded the MDC’s bureau, and there’s a virtual curfew in addition to several street blocks. Disappointed opposition supporters might try an uprising (or at least a prolonged unrest), but there are other possible consequences more threatening for Mugabe’s government.

The United Nations have not so far issued a statement, but several states have voiced their concern about the election. The United States has said the election was "seriously flawed" and riddled with irregularities.

Australia and Britain led an unsuccessful call for Commonwealth sanctions against Mr Mugabe before the election because of violence during the campaign. This call is now taken up again after most of the neutral election observers reported on the election. And New Zealand said on Wednesday it was ready to impose sanctions against Zimbabwe if the Commonwealth decided not to suspend the country after the vote, which it said was clearly manipulated.

John Nkomo, the Zimbabwean home affairs minister, tried to calm the other governments by saying that of course the Zimbabwean government would take criticism uttered by believable observers seriously, but this will probably not be enough to satisfy the traditionally strong Commonwealth states.