Zimbabwe?s southern Matabeleland region, long chafing under President Robert Mugabe?s rule, was in gloomy mood yesterday after his ruling party?s victory in a disputed parliamentary election. Matabe-leland voters, still bitter over an army offensive 20 years ago which rights groups say killed 20,000 civilians, voted heavily for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), giving it all but 5 of the province?s 19 seats.

But as with elections in 2000 and 2002, Mugabe?s ruling ZANU-PF took the national vote - this time extending its dominance with a two-thirds parliamentary majority that will permit it to change the constitution at will.

The victory was labelled a fraud by the opposition and western governments, who charged Mugabe with stealing his third election in five years.

In Matabeleland, there was grim resignation. ?As you can see, we are trying to drown our sorrow. We thought there would be change this time but it?s the same old story,? said 40-year-old Dan Tabisa as he sat in a bar in Zimbabwe?s second largest city of Bulawayo, listlessly sipping a beer with a couple of friends.

?This means five more years of suffering for us here in Matabeleland. Industries are closing down so unemployment is high and I don?t see any hope of a change now,? he added. His sentiments were echoed by scores of people in Bulawayo and surrounding areas, with most shrugging their shoulders despairingly when asked about ZANU-PF?s victory. ?There?s no development in this region and people are suffering. I haven?t had a real job for five years now and I?m just scratching around for a living,? said a 42-year-old man in Nyamandlovu, 40 kms (25 miles) southeast of Bulawayo, who gave his name as Diba.

<B>Unemployement, inflation and food shortage</B>

Analysts say Thursday?s election will worsen a crisis that has ruined the once-prosperous nation and which critics blame on Mugabe?s mismanagement and his chaotic seizure of white-owned land for redistribution to landless blacks.

Unemployment is 70 percent, inflation at about 130 percent and food and fuel are in short supply.

Matabeleland has been a thorn in Mugabe?s side ever since a rebellion against his rule two years after independence in 1980.

The army assault followed government accusations that Matabe-leland supported plans for an armed revolt against Mugabe?s rule led by a rival nationalist leader, Joshua Nkomo.

The crackdown in the minority Ndebele-speaking region fuelled ethnic tensions with the Shona who dominate Mugabe?s government that only subsided with a 1987 peace pact. For many in Matabeleland, the ruling party?s victory was no surprise, although the opposition?s poor performance did leave many questioning the way forward.

?I think the MDC needs to change its tactics if there is to be any hope of defeating ZANU-PF because we keep voting for them but they keep losing,? said a store security guard in Bulawayo.

<B>Emelia SITHOLE</B>

REACTIONS

<B>African observers say poll free is ?credible? </B>

■ African observers endorsed Zimbabwe?s disputed parliamentary election yesterday, countering critics from outside the continent who accused President Robert Mugabe of rigging the vote. The African Union (AU), the 13-member regional Southern African Development Community (SADC) and government delegations from Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi joined economic powerhouse South Africa in saying Zimbabwe?s poll was free, credible and reflected the will of the people. Mugabe?s ZANU-PF party scored a massive win in Thursday?s election, taking the two-thirds majority it needs to push through constitutional changes at will. The opposition rejected the result and joined Western governments in denouncing the poll as a fraud, saying Mugabe had stolen his third election in five years.

The European Union called the election ?phoney? and the United States attacked its credibility, saying the process was unfairly tilted in favour of the government. Africa?s observers appeared satisfied, however.

Harare refused to invite U.S., British or Australian observers or groups such as the Commonwealth and European Union, arguing they had prejudged the poll because they were hostile to Mugabe?s government.

Observers from the 53-member AU, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique said separately that they agreed with SADC?s assessment, saying decreased violence compared to parliamentary and presidential elections in 2000 and 2002 showed Zimbabwe had made political progress. Final results announced on Saturday showed ZANU-PF with 78 of 120 contested seats against 41 for the MDC, a net loss of 10 for the opposition. One independent, purged former Information Minister Jonathan Moyo, was also elected.