The Zimbabwean opposition is claiming victory on a monster turnout in the elections there, although this may be part of a strategy to pre-empt government rigging by claiming early and often. It would be nice if this was it, but I’m sceptical, of course.

Especially, the presence of ex-finance minister Simba Makoni as a candidate worries me; it would be too easy to stage a Russian-style virtual politics candidacy that sucks up opposition voters and then vanishes, leaving Robert Mugabe the last man standing. You can track the world’s most depressing Google Maps mashup here.