Another call for a Government of National Unity, this time from Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the UN, Boniface Chidyausiku. There seems to be a positively refreshing outbreak of the urge to compromise - although I suppose the key sticking point would be who would be President in any such Government. MDC will expect Tsvangirai [...]

So yesterday’s “historic announcement” was confirmation from both Morgan Tsavngirai and Arthur Mutambara that the two MDC factions were to reunite - if I was being picky, I’d point out that it’s hardly ‘historic’ to return to the party’s starting point, but it’s significant in that it gives the MDC an overall majority in the [...]

Here we go… ZEC’s count is complete and the parties have been called to compare that result against their own data, according to New Zimbabwe, while Morgan Tsvangirai has called a press conference for 4pm South African time (meaning it should be underway as I type this) to make “an historic announcement”.
ZEC’s announcement:
“We trust [...]

No such thing as a quiet Friday. BBC News reports that China has finally accepted defeat and recalled the An Yue Jiang (although This is Zimbabwe are still reporting it due in Angola today) - they’re labelling the decision “victory for civic society”:
Rights groups hailed the move as a major victory, a triumph of [...]

So far, all the recounts that I’m aware of being completed have resulted in no change - a few votes either way, but not enough to affect the outcome. That’s Zaka West, Gutu East, West & Central (all MDC) and Goromonzi West (Zanu-PF). Notable, though, was a speech given at the Gutu recounts [...]

There’s an interesting comment piece in today’s Herald and picked up on by the BBC that, while indulging in the usual bashing of the West, would suggest that Zanu-PF may be beginning to realise that they can’t completely steal this election. On the assumption that the Herald is the State mouthpiece and won’t publish [...]

The Institue for Democracy in South Africa has a report on the counting delays - they’ve done some poring over the relevant legislation, and they’re not buying ZEC’s excuses. You can get the full report from their website [PDF document] and they do go into some detail, but if you’re remotely interested in the [...]

You couldn’t make it up. Moses Moyo over at Zimbabwe Today claims to have a reliable source within ZEC, who has been keeping him informed of the progress of the weekend’s (illegal) recounts, and makes this report:
…the recounts of both votes, which are unjustified and quite possibly illegal, began on Saturday - and by [...]

At a press conference in Jo’burg on Sunday, the MDC’s Tendai Biti termed the situation in Zimbabwe “war” and urged African leaders and the UN to intervene - the death toll amongst MDC supporters no stands at 10, with “hundreds” injured after reprisal beatings and “thousands” displaced, trying to avoid the violence. Never mind [...]

Rather than repeat what others have already dug up about the Chinese arms shipment, here’s a link to Sokwanele’s consolidated post on the issue - it has details of the current situation and will be regularly updated with news as the get it.