Emmerson Mnangagwa of ZANU-PF party wins Presidential election in Zimbabwe

Harare, August 3: Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a former ally of ousted President Robert Mugabe, has won country's landmark Presidential election. With all 10 provinces declared, Mnangagwa won 50.8 per cent of votes to 44.3 percent for opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of MDC party.

 

Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declared ZANU-PF party's Mnangagwa, a duly declared elected president. Mnangagwa needed over 50 percent of the vote to secure victory without a second-round run-off.

In his tweet, Mnangagwa said, “Thank you Zimbabwe! I am humbled to be elected President of the Second Republic of Zimbabwe. Though we may have been divided at the polls, we are united in our dreams. This is a new beginning. Let us join hands, in peace, unity & love, & together build a new Zimbabwe for all!”

Meanwhile, the opposition has rejected the results. The chairman of Chamisa’s MDC Alliance said the count could not be verified and moments before the official announcement, its spokesman denounced the results as fake.

Public reaction to the election results has already sparked a deadly crackdown on protesters. Six people were killed on Wednesday when troops fired live rounds against MDC demonstrators alleging the vote had been rigged.