ZIMBABWE: President Mnangagwa wins second term, as opposition rejects election result

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been declared winner of the country’s presidential election for a second and final term in office.

The results of the election which was announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) late on Sunday, is however being contested by the opposition as well as local and international groups following allegations and voter intimidation and discrepancies in many counties.

Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF won 52.6 percent of the vote compared with 44 percent for his main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC)
his main challenger, the ZEC announced.

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

Read also: Zimbabweans vote in crucial presidential, legislative elections

However, opposition figures have rejected the election outcome with many alleging massive rigging.

Spokesman for the CCC, Promise Mkwananzi, who addressed a press conference after the results were announced, said the party had not signed the final tally which he described as false.

“We cannot accept the results. The elections were fraught with irregularities and aggrieved the people of Zimbabwe.

“The CCC has good grounds to go to court and challenge the outcome,” he said.

International observers have also faulted the conduct of the election which they say had failed to meet regional and international standards.

Leader of the European Union Observer Mission, Fabio Massimo Castaldo, who also spoke to journalists, said the election “fell short of numerous regional and international criteria.”

Castaldo revealed a number of issues that tainted the election which included “the canning of opposition rallies, the denial of accreditation to several foreign media, the absence of voters’ names from the voter roll at their polling place, biased state media, and voter intimidation.”

Former Zambian Vice President, Nevers Mumba who headed the
SADC observation delegation, noted issues including voting delays, issues with the voter roll, bans on opposition rallies and biased state media coverage.

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