Opposition Rejects Result As Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa Wins Second Term (SEE RESULTS)

Opposition Rejects Result As Zimbabwe’s President Mnangagwa Wins Second Term (SEE RESULTS)

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has secured a second and final term in office, a victory contested by the opposition and questioned by observers.

Taking over from the long-standing leader Robert Mugabe following a 2017 military coup, Mnangagwa was expected to win re-election despite the nation’s ongoing economic crisis. Analysts pointed out that the election was heavily skewed in favor of the ruling ZANU-PF party, which has governed Zimbabwe since its independence and the end of white minority rule in 1980.

Official results released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) late on Saturday showed Mnangagwa winning with 52.6 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for his primary challenger, Nelson Chamisa.

ZEC Chairwoman Justice Chigumba announced, “Mnangagwa Emmerson Dambudzo of the ZANU-PF party is declared duly elected president of the Republic of Zimbabwe.”

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While a group of ruling party supporters celebrated the outcome, a spokesperson for Chamisa’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) rejected the final tally, labeling it as “false.”

He emphasized that the party couldn’t accept the results and stated that their next course of action would be announced soon.

The elections were marked by delays, leading to opposition claims of rigging and voter suppression. Foreign poll monitors stated that the elections fell short of regional and international standards. Observers from the European Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) noted issues including voting delays, problems with the voter roll, opposition rally bans, and biased state media coverage.

Political analysts and the opposition expressed concerns about irregularities in the election and its impact on the nation. The CCC signaled a possibility of challenging the results in court.

The ZANU-PF denied allegations of unfair advantage or attempts to manipulate elections through rigging.

Mnangagwa, often referred to as “The Crocodile” and once considered Mugabe’s “enforcer,” took power amid widespread protests. He narrowly defeated Chamisa in the 2018 elections, which the opposition leader denounced as fraudulent. The constitutional court upheld the result.

This year’s voting was extended to a second day due to printing delays in key districts, including the capital, Harare.

Zimbabwe, once a British colony called Rhodesia, gained independence in 1980 after a prolonged guerrilla war and was renamed Zimbabwe. Under Mugabe’s leadership, the economy deteriorated significantly. Mnangagwa, a key figure in Mugabe’s government, held various positions including minister of state security, minister of justice, and vice president.

Mnangagwa’s victory was also accompanied by the ZANU-PF’s win in the parliamentary race, securing 136 out of 210 seats under a first-past-the-post system. The opposition CCC won 73 seats, and one seat remained unassigned due to a candidate’s death. Additionally, 60 seats are designated for women, appointed through a proportional representation party-list system.