Zimbabwe election: Three dead in violent Harare protests as security forces battle demonstrators after Zanu-PF win in parliament vote
Millions peacefully cast their votes but soldiers now deployed in streets as presidential result delayed
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At least three people have been killed as police and soldiers in Harare clashed with opposition protesters amid a delay in announcing the winner of Zimbabwe’s presidential election. The scene in the capital has deteriorated into serious disorder, according to reports on the ground.
Gunfire was also heard after supporters of Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa took to the streets. Mr Chamisa has accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of electoral malfeasance and claimed he won the “popular vote” following Monday’s poll.
Zanu-PF won a two-thirds majority in the national assembly of parliament in the country’s first general election since Robert Mugabe was ousted from power in November 2017. The result means incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party will be empowered to make changes to the constitution at will.
But the result of the presidential poll has not yet been announced. Zimbabwe’s electoral commission has repeatedly revised its stance on when the presidential winner will be announced, with European Union observers questioning the delay.
The EU team identified a string of problems in Monday’s poll. They said a level playing field was not achieved due to voter intimidation, media bias and misuse of state resources, though the largely peaceful process was a clear improvement over the Mugabe era.
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The two main contenders in the presidential race were Mr Mnangagwa, a former deputy president and intelligence chief, and Mr Chamisa, a lawyer and pastor who leads the Movement for Democratic Change.
More than 5.5 million people were registered to vote and turnout was around 70%.
Both candidates issued upbeat assessments of how they did on polling day, with Mr Mnangagwa tweeting: ”I am delighted by the high turnout and citizen engagement so far”.
The election featured a record number of more than 20 presidential candidates and nearly 130 political parties vying for parliamentary seats.
Western election observers were in Zimbabwe, reflecting a freer political environment since the November resignation of Mr Mugabe, who had ruled since independence from white minority rule in 1980.
But there were concerns about bias in state media coverage of the election, a lack of transparency in ballot printing and reports of intimidation by pro-government local leaders who are supposed to stay neutral.
Zimbabwe's president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said violence in Harare was meant to disrupt this week's presidential election, adding that he blamed the leadership of the opposition MDC party for those who were killed and injured.
"We hold the opposition MDC Alliance and its whole leadership responsible for this disturbance of national peace, which was meant to disrupt the electoral process," Mr Mnangagwa said, according to state broadcaster ZBC.
He said the MDC should remove its supporters from the streets, ZBC added.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) alliance has told reporters that their candidate Nelson Chamisa is “shocked” by the events in Harare. A spokesman says that “we are seriously meant to wonder that this means. Are we at war?”
Both the opposition and Western election observers have urged that presidential election results be released as soon as possible. Zimbabwe's electoral commission says “sometime tomorrow” it will say when those will be released.
Opposition supporters are clear that they not be frightened away from Harare.
“I will stay here until Chamisa is president,” said Amandishe Muzhinji, who travelled from Swaziland, where he works as a migrant labourer, to vote in Monday’s election. “I will not allow my vote to be stolen in plain sight,” he told The Washington Post
As political leaders trade recriminations, those on the streets of Harare talk about injuries.
"I was making a peaceful protest. I was beaten by soldiers," said Norest Kemvo, who had gashes to his face and right hand. "This is our government," he told Reuters. "This is exactly why we wanted change. They are stealing our election."
International monitors have given their first assessments of the election, saying it was conducted in a relatively free environment and was a big improvement over past votes marred by violence and irregularities, although they noted significant problems.
European Union observers said "a truly level playing field was not achieved" in the election, pointing out the "misuse of state resources, instances of coercion and intimidation, partisan behavior by traditional leaders and overt bias in state media."
Elmar Brok, head of the EU observer mission, said there were "many shortcomings" in the election, but it was unclear whether they influenced the results.
Zimbabwe's president is urging political leaders to advocate for peace “as this day that ended in tragedy comes to a close.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was tweeting not long after he blamed the opposition for deadly violence in the capital that he said was “meant to disrupt the electoral process.”
And with that we are closing our coverage for now. Thank you for reading.
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