The opposition has rejected Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election for a second term saying the results were hastily assembled without proper verification. The elections were riddled with delays, with the opposition raising concerns about rigging.
Promise Mkwanazi, a spokesman for the Chamisa’s Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), said the party did not sign the final tally, and described it as false. He said they cannot accept the results. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared Mnangagwa as the winner late Saturday, having won 52.6 percent of the vote, Nelson Chamisa bagged 44 percent of the votes. “Mnangagwa Emmerson Dambudzo of ZANU-PF party is declared duly elected president of the Republic of Zimbabwe.”
However, foreign poll monitors said the Zimbabwean elections failed to meet regional and international standards. The EU’s observer mission said the vote took place in a climate of fear, with the South African regional bloc SADC’s mission highlighting issues, such as voting delays, voter roll, bans on opposition rallies, and biased media coverage.
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Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch alleged that Mnangagwa’s administration used the police and courts to silence dissent amid rising tensions driven by a currency crisis, a sharp surge in food prices, and a weakening public health system, as well as inadequate formal jobs.
The observers also pointed out the ruling party’s affiliate organization called Forever Associates of Zimbabwe, which had set up tables at polling stations and took details of people walking into voting booths. The election which was to end on Wednesday was extended to Thursday because of delays with the printing of ballot papers. There was a delay in distribution of ballot papers in Harare and other urban areas.
Moreover, the opposition party said its rallies had been broken up by the police, with supporters often being intimidated and threatened with violence by the ruling party supporters. Furthermore, Zimbabwe is going through one of the world’s worst economic meltdowns.
