Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been declared the winner of the presidential election, securing a second term in office.

Zimbabwe’s President Re-elected

Simbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has won a second term in office, according to the country’s election commission. Mnangagwa secured just under 53 percent of the votes, while his main opponent, Nelson Chamisa, received 44 percent, the commission announced in the capital, Harare.

The ruling party, ZANU-PF, also appears to have won a majority in the Parliament, based on preliminary results. Mnangagwa is now set to begin his second five-year term as President. He first came to power in 2017 following a military coup, succeeding the longtime leader, Robert Mugabe.

However, the opposition party, led by Nelson Chamisa, has rejected the election results. According to the party’s spokesperson, they are dismissing “any hastily assembled and improperly verified results” published by the election commission.

International observers have raised concerns about the conditions of the election in Zimbabwe. The head of the European Union’s observer mission stated that the vote took place in an atmosphere of fear and highlighted issues such as delays in voting, bans on rallies, and biased media coverage. Experts from the African Union also noted instances of intimidation against Chamisa’s supporters.

Due to delays in the voting process, Mnangagwa extended the election by one day. Reports of “chaos” in some constituencies, as reported by the AFP news agency, increased suspicions of manipulation. The election commission reported a voter turnout of 69 percent.