President Emmerson Nnangagwa was re-elected for a second term
According to the Electoral Commission of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa received 52.6% of the vote, against his main rival, Nelson Chamisa, who received 44%.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, has been re-elected for a second term after a bitter vote that saw major breakdowns and his legitimacy questioned by international observers and the opposition.
Emmerson Mnangagwa won 52.6% of the votes against Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa’s 44%, the Electoral Commission announced on Saturday evening. “Mnangagwa Emmerson Dambudzo of the Zanu-PF Party is hereby declared President of the Republic of Zimbabwe,” announced the commission’s chairman Justice Chikumba.
Zimbabweans went to the polls on Wednesday and Thursday to elect their president and MPs. The polls, which were scheduled to end on Wednesday evening, had to be extended by a day. Chaos in the capital Harare, the stronghold of the opposition parties, has multiplied, especially in the absence of ballot papers in offices. He condemned “rigging” and “obstructing” the referendum.
“serious problems”
The Electoral Commission admitted on Wednesday that less than a quarter of polling stations in Harare were opened on time. Observers from the European Union, South Africa (SADC) and the Commonwealth of Nations have unanimously questioned the smoothness of the electoral process this week.
They highlighted “serious problems” with the “regularity” and “transparency” of the ballot and violations of “many international standards” governing democratic elections. Others were intimidated at the polling booths and were not included in the voters’ list.
Observers also noted authorities’ refusal to accredit some foreign media and questioned the bias of local public media. Nevertheless, they noted that the poll took place in a “calm and peaceful” environment.
Mugabe’s successor
Zimbabwe’s election campaign, led by iron-fisted liberation hero Robert Mugabe, who was ousted by a coup in 2017, was marked by a ruthless crackdown on the opposition. The CCC condemned the ban on dozens of meetings and the arrest of opponents in private homes for “illegal gatherings” in a country already rocked by irregular elections.
In 2018, Robert Mugabe’s successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was narrowly elected (50.8%). Two days after the election, the army opened fire on demonstrators, killing 6 people. Nelson Chamisa, who had already run against him in the presidential election, contested the election before being impeached by Justice.
AFP
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