Zimbabwe's opposition challenges president's re-election, claims victory

Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, has vehemently contested the official re-election of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, asserting his own victory in an election that international observers criticise for falling short of democratic standards.

President Mnangagwa secured a second term with 52.6 per cent of the votes, while his main challenger, 45-year-old Chamisa, garnered 44 per cent, as per official results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) late Saturday.

However, the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has adamantly refused to accept these results, labelling them as "false."

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"We have won this election. We are the leaders. We are even surprised why Mnangagwa has been declared a leader," declared Chamisa during a press conference in Harare.

Controversial election marred by delays

The election, which took place over two days (Wednesday and Thursday), was plagued by delays, leading to accusations of rigging and voter suppression from the opposition.

Chamisa commented on the situation, saying, "We knew we were going into a flawed election. We have a flawed voters roll, a flawed delimitation report. We had a flawed ballot. It was a flawed electoral environment."

Mnangagwa challenges opponents

President Mnangagwa, in a response at the presidential palace, urged those contesting his re-election to pursue legal channels. He stated, "Those who feel the race was not run properly should know where to go to."

Foreign observers, including missions from the European Union, the Commonwealth, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), have expressed concerns about the election. They cited issues such as the banning of opposition rallies, problems with voter registration rolls, biased state media coverage, and voter intimidation.

Despite these concerns, Mnangagwa thanked various election observation missions for witnessing the electoral processes, emphasising that Zimbabwe is a mature democracy.

Also watch |Zimbabwe presidential elections 2023: President Emmerson Mnangagwa secures 2nd term

Mixed reactions in Harare

In the streets of Harare, some citizens expressed disillusionment with the election results. One individual stated, "The results were no good; there's something wrong somewhere."

However, another citizen, while admitting not closely examining the results, noted, "We accept them as they are; it's the decision of the majority, and we respect it."

ZEC chairwoman Justice Chigumba disclosed that Mnangagwa had secured more than 2.3 million votes, while Chamisa had received over 1.9 million. With more than half the votes cast, Mnangagwa avoided a run-off. Voter turnout stood at 69 percent.

Mnangagwa's Political Journey

Dubbed "The Crocodile," Mnangagwa assumed power after a coup that ousted Robert Mugabe in 2017. A year later, he narrowly defeated Chamisa in a vote criticized by the opposition leader as fraudulent, followed by a deadly crackdown.

(With inputs from agencies)

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