THUR, AUGUST 02 2018-theG&BJournal-Harare wore the toga of a war zone today even before half the residents woke up. By noon three people lay dead on the streets, shot by military personals deployed by the ruling ZANU-PF government whom the opposition say is plotting sinisterly to rig the election that was hailed as ‘very peaceful’ by both local and international observers.
The consternation is a result of the delay by the election officials to release the final result of the Monday’s historic presidential election.
Nelson Chamisa said yesterday on his twitter account that delaying the election result is ‘’to buy time and reverse the people’s presidential election victory.’’
‘’The strategy is meant to prepare Zim mentally to accept fake presidential results. We have more votes that ED (Emmerson Mnangagwa). We won the popular vote and will defend it,’’ he said.
Anxiety reached fever high yesterday when supporters of the MDC Alliance began gathering to holding victory rallies outside the party headquarters to celebrate. During the rally the former MDC finance minister Tendai Biti, told journalists that “there is a deliberate delay in formally announcing results.” He calls the current happening as “interference with the people’s will”.
The MDC and other civil society groups have signalled the intention to prepare a legal challenge to force the results into the open. ZEC chief Priscilla Chigumba has said that there was no cheating in the electoral process. She also revealed that the presidential result may not be ready until Saturday. Chigumba assured that in an interview with journalists that “We will not subvert [the people’s will].”
The European Union spokesperson on the elections in Zimbabwe appealed for calm on behalf of the EU today following the violence.
‘’Violence is completely unacceptable and we express our sympathy to the victims and their families,’’ he said.
According to the EU, the first findings of the EU election observation mission, headed by Chief Observer Elmar Brok, Member of European Parliament, indicate that the elections were competitive, and that overall political freedoms were respected during the campaign. The noted however a number of shortcomings including the lack of a truly level playing field.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa hastily called an independent investigation of the violence while stressing the need for the nation to move forward together.
He said on his twitter handle that his party believe in transparency and accountability, and that those responsible should be identified and brought to justice.
“It is also more important than ever that we are united and commit to settling our differences peacefully and respectfully, and within the confines of the law,” he said.
Mnangagwa said his government has been in communication with opposition leader Nelson Chamisa to discuss ways to “immediately diffuse the situation.”
Results from parliamentary races have been announced, with the ruling ZANU-PF party winning a majority in that body. The parliamentary result signalled a strong showing for Mnangagwa.
The front-runners, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and MDC’s Nelson Chamisa have both said they are confident of victory. Mnangagwa who is leading the ruling Zanu PF said he has received “extremely positive” from his party officials. Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa however said his party was “winning resoundingly”. Voting was relatively calm across Zimbabwe but its the reaction from citizens when results begin to filter in that now matters.
The elections have been held for the first time without the involvement of the former President, Robert Mugabe who exited power after a military takeover.
