Zimbabwe's main opposition the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) on Saturday rejected the outcome of Thursday's parliamentary election, saying the poll was rigged.

William Bango, spokesman for MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, told reporters the party's national executive had agreed not to accept the outcome of the poll.

"Following a meeting convened by the national executive yesterday (Friday), MDC has rejected the election results," he said.

Bango, without specifying, said the MDC would take political measures to redress its grievance, hinting at calling for street protests by the party's supporters.

"We are going to take a political alternative (route)," he said, declining to say exactly what the party planned.

In previous cases, the MDC has taken electoral disputes to the courts, but has ruled out such moves this time.

Tsvangirai hinted on Friday that his party would not look for alegal remedy.

"We are not going to take the legal route. Previously such actions failed. We believe that the people of Zimbabwe must defend their vote," Tsvangirai said without shedding light on how that would be done.

The ruling Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party, which won the poll by a landslide, has denied the MDC's claims, and is "What Tsvangirai said is the usual mantra from the opposition party. This is the height of dishonesty. The election was free andfair," ZANU-PF election spokesman Webster Shamu said.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) mission, one of several foreign observer missions, said the election was conducted freely and fairly, both before and during voting.

"We regard to the polling process, it is SADC's overall view that the elections were conducted in an open, transparent and professional manner," it said in a statement.

"The polling stations opened and closed at the appointed times and we were impressed by the orderliness and patience of voters, who we believe, were able to express their franchise peacefully, freely and unhindered," SADC observers added.

By 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) on Saturday, results from 115 constituencies showed that ZANU-PF was leading with 74 seats, against the MDC's 40.

In the 2000 parliamentary election, and the presidential poll two years later, the MDC unsuccessfully contested the results in court.

Source: Xinhua