Zimbabwean Politician Convicted of False Election Declaration

Zimbabwe’s main opposition politician, Tendai Biti, has been found guilty for announcing that his party’s leader won the presidential elections held in July last year.

Biti – a leading human right lawyer who formerly served as the country’s finance minister – was convicted of violating electoral legislation, after he disputed the election poll results. He declared that Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), had won the elections.

This declaration preempted the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission’s official announcement that Emmerson Mnangagwa had won.

It also sparked violent, anti-government protests, during which six people died.

Appearing in Harare Magistrates Court on Monday, 18 February, Biti was charged by magistrate Gloria Takundwa for contravening electoral law. He was fined $200 for the offence; in addition, he was handed a six-month jail sentence, which was suspended for years.

In spite of the lenient sentence, Biti said he would appeal against his conviction.

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