Opposition supporters have taken to the streets of Harare as Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party are reported to have secured a parliamentary majority in the country’s first election since independence without Robert Mugabe.
Angry demonstrators in support of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change party, shouting that the election had been rigged, have been gathering in Harare and some have marched to the gates of the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) in the capital where riot police were massed.
According to reports, tear gas has been fired on demonstrators in the central districts of the capital and several witnesses have reported gunshots. There have been unconfirmed reports of beatings by police and that live ammunition has been used on protesters, killing five. The violence, so far, has been confined to Harare.
Protesters were reacting to news that the ruling party led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa had secured a two-thirds majority against the MDC Party, led by Nelson Chamisa, with 144 out of 210 parliamentary seats, according to the ZEC.
The parliamentary outcome does not necessarily indicate the voters’ choice of president, but it does suggest Mr Mnangagwa, who was installed as president last November following a bloodless coup that overthrew Robert Mugabe, is in the lead to be declared the winner.
In a Tweet on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Mnangagwa called for calm: "At this crucial time, I call on everyone to desist from provocative declarations and statements. We must all demonstrate patience and maturity, and act in a way that puts our people and their safety first. Now is the time for responsibility and above all, peace."
Mr Chamisa has already claimed victory and has said he can only lose through fraudulent results.
Zanu-PF has said Mr Mnanagagwa is “winning by a mile” and accused the opposition of deliberately spreading misinformation about its supposed victory as a tactic to confuse the electorate.
The credibility of the election is deemed critical to whether Zimbabwe will be able to re-engage with international investors in order to rebuild its shattered economy.
But international observers said that Monday’s vote, though peaceful, had been marred by irregularities including voter intimidation and media bias and that the failure to announce presidential results so far was a concern.
Elmar Brok, the head of the first EU monitors to be allowed into Zimbabwe for 16 years, has praised in his report an “opening up of political space” but said an un-level playing field, the intimidation of voters and lack of trust in the process had “undermined the pre-election environment”.
Loading ...
