Recount Ordered in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's opposition leaders are crying foul today over a planned recount of last month's election results, Reuters reports. "They had custody of the ballot boxes for two weeks and they must have stuffed them with their votes," an opposition spokesman told BBC. Zimbabwe's election officials ordered the recounts today in 23 constituencies for all levels of government.

African leaders in Lusaka have urged Zimbabwe to release the results and hold a presidential run-off "in a secure environment." But opposition leaders oppose a run-off as well. Since the election, Zimbabwe's economy has crumbled and military forces are on alert, sparking fears of a de facto coup. But an official defended the move: "I believe everyone in the country is aware that there is no military junta," he said. (More Zimbabwe stories.)