Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa Claims Victory in Second Term, Opposition Rejects Result
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has won a second term in office, according to election officials, although the opposition has rejected the result. International observers have also criticized the vote for falling short of democratic standards. Mnangagwa, 80, secured 52.6 percent of the ballots, while the main rival, Nelson Chamisa, obtained 44 percent, according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
The results were announced by ZEC chairwoman Justice Chigumba, who declared Mnangagwa duly elected president of the Republic of Zimbabwe. However, the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has refused to accept the outcome. Promise Mkwananzi, a spokesman for the CCC, described the final tally as false and stated that the party would soon announce its next steps.
The presidential election, held on Wednesday and Thursday, was marred by delays that led to accusations of rigging and voter suppression from the opposition. International observers from the European Union, Commonwealth, and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) all expressed concerns about various aspects of the election process, including the banning of opposition rallies, problems with the voters’ roll, biased state media coverage, and voter intimidation.
Political analyst Rejoice Ngwenya said, The elections were fraught with irregularities and aggrieved the people of Zimbabwe. He supported the CCC’s plan to challenge the outcome in court.
Mnangagwa, known as The Crocodile, first assumed power after a coup that toppled former leader Robert Mugabe in 2017. In the previous election, Mnangagwa narrowly defeated Chamisa, who claimed the poll was fraudulent. The aftermath of that election was marked by a violent crackdown.
This year, voting extended into a second day due to delays in the printing of ballot papers, especially in the opposition stronghold of Harare. Chamisa criticized the delays as voter suppression and accused the authorities of rigging the election.
ZANU-PF, Mnangagwa’s party, also emerged as the winner in the parliamentary race, securing 136 seats out of the 210 available. The CCC obtained 73 seats, while one seat remained unassigned due to the death of a candidate. Additionally, 60 seats are reserved for women appointed through a party-list system.
Mnangagwa’s victory in the presidential election allows him to avoid a run-off since he secured more than half of the votes cast. The voter turnout was reported to be 69 percent.
Zimbabwe, once a British colony known as Rhodesia, gained independence in 1980. However, under Mugabe’s leadership, the country experienced economic decline, hyperinflation, and allegations of authoritarianism. The opposition hoped to capitalize on public discontent over issues such as corruption, high inflation, unemployment, and poverty.
As the results of the election continue to be debated, Zimbabwe braces for political upheaval and uncertainty.
