…and still the story goes on. I took a break from following events for most of today, as a few incidents yesterday got my blood boiling to the point where thinking about it all coherently wasn’t really possible. When that happens, it’s time to take a step back.

Senate results are complete - of the 60 elected seats, Zanu-PF have 30, MDC/Tsvangirai 24, and MDC/Mutambara 6 - so whoever wins the Presidential poll, if it’s ever announced, will control the Senate. By law, ZEC now have to move on to the Presidential results - but then, by law, they should have been announced by yesterday at the latest, and we’re still waiting.

MDC/T’s attempt to get a court order forcing release of the results was blocked by armed police, who prevented their lawyers from entering the court. Well, men in police uniforms, although most people reckon is was the CIO (Central Intelligence Organisation, Zimbabwe’s secret police, who are under Mugabe’s direct control). MDC will try again tomorrow, but it seems that someone really doesn’t want those results released.

That makes me think that the MDC’s predicted result of a Tsvangirai win is the correct one - if a run-off is required and Bob’s happy to have it, then I can’t think of any reason to hold the result back further. Thinking on down that line and bearing in mind reports yesterday of provocation, and threats by war vet to ‘protect the country’s sovereignty’ (a veiled threat to begin civil war), and the Burma scenario begins to look likely: create a violent situation, declare a State of Emergency, and annul the elections.

There still seems to be hope on the ground that it won’t come to that, though, and MDC supporters still don’t appear to have risen to the bait. And so the waiting continues, as we move into day eight.