VOA常速英语2008年-Mugabe Dissolves Cabinet Prior to Zimbabwean El

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
28 March 2008

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has dissolved his Cabinet prior to national elections on Saturday. Nearly six million registered voters are due to go to the polls but the opposition¹ says there already are signs of irregularities. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our Southern Africa Bureau in Johannesburg.

The dissolution of the Zimbabwean Cabinet officially paves the way for elections in which voters are to choose a president, national assembly, senate and local councils.

President Robert Mugabe is seeking a sixth term. He is being challenged by opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) and by independent candidate Simba Makoni.

Observers say the campaign has been far less violent than in previous elections and opposition candidates have been able to campaign in what had been forbidden areas. But the opposition says there are many irregularities.

The Harare high court has dismissed a request by the opposition MDC to be given copies of the voters' registration² list.

MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti said the party wants to check the lists because it believes they have been inflated³ with non-existent voters. And he notes that nine million ballots⁴ have been printed for less than six million voters.

 

"We suspect that the three million [extra ballots] will give them an artificial majority of 58 percent," said Biti. "We think that when they have stolen this election on Monday or Sunday they want to declare a majority of 58 percent."

Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa rejected Friday the accusation⁵ on South African national television.

"There is no basis whatsoever⁶ to the allegations made by the MDC against the electoral process," said Chinamasa. "What is very clear of course is that they are running scared of defeat tomorrow [Saturday]."

The opposition also objects to a late edict allowing security officials into voting booths. The government says they are to help illiterate⁷ voters but the opposition fears they will intimidate⁸ its supporters.

The election campaign was one of the liveliest in decades.

Tsvangirai has drawn⁹ considerable support from Zimbabweans unhappy over an economic crisis characterized by hyper-inflation, 80 percent unemployment and shortages of food, fuel and other basic goods.

"This is a government that has promoted hate; that cannot do anything for your problems," said Tsvangirai. "They can't keep the teachers in school. They can't keep food in the supermarket. They cannot provide medicine in the hospitals. Neither can they provide jobs for the wealth of our workers."

Makoni, a former finance minister who was expelled from Mr. Mugabe's ZANU-PF party after he declared his candidacy, is being backed by several senior ZANU-PF leaders. This has led some to say he may draw votes away from the president, which Mr. Mugabe dismissed.

"I say ahhh, you are cheating yourselves," said Makoni. "The people, the people have refused [to be cheated]."

In order to win, a candidate must receive at least half of the votes cast Saturday. If not, he must face the candidate with the second most votes in a runoff election within three weeks.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

3 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 accusation   

n.控告，指责，谴责

参考例句：

• I was furious at his making such an accusation.我对他的这种责备非常气愤。
• She knew that no one would believe her accusation.她知道没人会相信她的指控。

6 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

7 illiterate   

adj.文盲的；无知的；n.文盲

参考例句：

• There are still many illiterate people in our country.在我国还有许多文盲。
• I was an illiterate in the old society,but now I can read.我这个旧社会的文盲，今天也认字了。

8 intimidate   

vt.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• You think you can intimidate people into doing what you want?你以为你可以威胁别人做任何事？
• The first strike capacity is intended mainly to intimidate adversary.第一次攻击的武力主要是用来吓阻敌方的。

9 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。