Zimbabwe court orders third day of polling

A Zimbabwe High Court ordered today that voting is to be extended for a third day in the country's landmark presidential elections…

A Zimbabwe High Court ordered today that voting is to be extended for a third day in the country's landmark presidential elections, an opposition lawyer said, adding the government has vowed to appeal.

Zimbabwe's opposition wanted an extension of the two-day presidential election because of huge voter queues in the capital, but a powerful government minister rejected the idea.

MDC leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, leading the most dangerous challenge to President Robert Mugabe's 22-year rule, accuses the veteran president of reducing the number of polling stations and introducing delays in Harare to disenfranchise thousands of opposition voters.

Polls are scheduled to close at 7 p.m. (5 p.m. Irish time) today.

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Mr Tsvangirai renewed his appeal for an extension of the poll when he voted earlier today.

"What we would hate is a situation where some people would be turned away because they were not able to vote", Mr Tsvangirai said when he cast his ballot in Harare's Avondale suburb today, his 50th birthday.