Delays and High Stakes in Zimbabwe’s General Election as Mnangagwa Seeks Final Term
Voting in Zimbabwe’s general election was marked by delays on Wednesday as President Emmerson Mnangagwa sought a second and final term in office. The country has a history of violent and disputed elections, and this is the second general election since the ouster of longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in a coup in 2017.
Twelve presidential candidates are competing in the election, but the main contest is expected to be between 80-year-old Mnangagwa, also known as the crocodile, and 45-year-old opposition leader Nelson Chamisa. Mnangagwa narrowly defeated Chamisa in a disputed election in 2018.
Chamisa hopes to break the ruling ZANU-PF party’s 43-year hold on power. Since gaining independence from white minority rule in 1980, Zimbabwe has had only two leaders.
If no candidate secures a clear majority in the first round, a runoff election will be held on October 2. The outcome of the election will also determine the composition of the 350-seat parliament and nearly 2,000 local council positions.
The delays in voting have frustrated many Zimbabweans who are desperate for change. Basil Chendambuya, an early voter in a working-class township in Harare, expressed his hope for a better future, saying, It’s becoming tougher to survive in this country… I am praying hard that this time my vote counts.
The elections have faced challenges, including the late distribution of ballot papers at some polling stations. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission cited delays in printing due to multiple court challenges over who could run in the elections.
Ahead of the election, human rights groups accused Mnangagwa of silencing dissent amid rising tensions caused by a currency crisis, soaring food prices, a weakened public health system, and a lack of formal employment opportunities.
President Mnangagwa expressed confidence in his victory after voting and called for peaceful participation. However, Chamisa alleged intimidation in rural areas but urged his supporters to remain patient and not be frustrated, saying, We are winning this election.
Mnangagwa was a close ally of Mugabe and served as vice president before their falling out prior to the 2017 coup. Despite positioning himself as a reformist leader, Mnangagwa has been criticized for being even more repressive than his predecessor.
Zimbabwe has faced sanctions from the United States and the European Union for the past two decades due to allegations of human rights abuses, although the governing party denies these charges. Mnangagwa has adopted much of Mugabe’s anti-Western rhetoric, accusing foreign powers of seeking to topple his regime.
Observers from the EU and the US have faced criticism for alleged bias against the ruling party. Several local human rights activists and foreign journalists were denied accreditation to observe the election, a decision condemned by the US State Department.
As the results of the general election unfold, Zimbabweans eagerly await the announcement of their next leader and hope for positive change in their country’s future.
