Zimbabwe’s biggest opposition party – Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) – has refused to concede defeat in the shambolic “harmonised elections” supposedly won by incumbent 80-year-old Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Voting had to be extended to two days after some polling stations failed to open on time because they did not have ballot papers.
In the middle of the night on Saturday, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced that Mnangagwa had won 52.6% of the vote and the popular CCC leader Nelson Chamisa had only managed 44% of the polls described by SADC as less than ideal.
The announcement went against data posted on social media by opposition polling agents who used their cellphones to photograph actual results collated at polling stations that show Mnangagwa losing by a huge margin.
Some opposition polling agents claimed they were ordered to return to the elections command centre to sign amended results sheets before the results were announced.
SADC Head of Mission, Nevers Mumba said the ZEC management fell short of its constitutional obligations, the Electoral Act, and SADC principles.
Mumba said anomalies uncovered placed the credibility of the elections in question.
ZEC announced that 4 468 688 votes were cast in the election, in which voters were also electing parliamentary and local government representatives.
President Mnangagwa won a second term with 2 350 711 votes, while Chamisa got only 1 967 343.
CCC said in a statement, “We will not roll over and accept fictitious lies”
The statement said CCC has “initiated a comprehensive citizens review of the vote count”.
“The endeavour is firmly rooted in the hard evidence collected from all regions of Zimbabwe.
“Our commitment to uncovering the truth remains undeterred. ZEC’s recent announcement only serves to galvanise our resolve further.”
The opposition party said it would “in due course address our nation.”
Zanu PF, the governing party, denies allegations of cheating and insists that SADC was wrong because the elections were peaceful, free, and fair.
Zimbabwe’s government has welcomed the results and is now expecting its friendly neighbours to begin congratulating it for winning the election for the umpteenth time.
Commenting on the stance taken by CCC, Zimbabwe’s former deputy prime minister, Professor Arthur Mutambara said: “Here we go again. The cycle of disputed elections continues”.
Professor Mutabara added: “We must come together as a nation and cure this cancer. We must devise a way to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
“Respect must go to President Chamisa and CCC for fighting a great fight… against all odds.”
