Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been elected for a second term in office. He beat his main rival, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on Saturday announced that Mnangagwa won by a majority of 52.6% of the vote against Chamisa’s 44%.
He has been given a fresh five-year mandate, albeit under controversial circumstances. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission endorsed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 2023 election victory.
WATCH: Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa wins a second term
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Voting irregularity
The polls were marred with irregularities, and election observer missions refused to validate the result. But Mnangagwa says those observers who raised concerns regarding how the polls were conducted did so outside their mandate.
“I don’t think it is in the mandate of the election observers to interrogate the institutions of a sovereign government, the judiciary, the legislature and governance. I believe that their mandate is to observe the transparency, peacefulness and fairness of the conduct of the elections which I’m happy to say no one questions that,” President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The SADC election observer was the first to highlight several irregularities and questioned the credibility of this year’s polls.
“The pre-election and voting stage of the 23 and 24th August 2023 harmonised elections fell short of the requirement of the constitution of Zimbabwe, the electoral act and the SADC principals and guidelines governing the elections of 2021,” said SADC Mission Head, Nevers Mumba.
The African Union, the Commonwealth and the European Union were unanimous in their description of the election processes.
Commonwealth Head, Ambassador Amina Mohamed, said, “Our overall assessment of the voting process is that it was well conducted and peaceful; however, the existence of several significant issues that impact the credibility and transparency of the process.”
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Zanu PF: ‘Observers are puppets of western countries’
But Zanu PF reacted harshly to the criticism, saying the observers are “puppets of Western countries.” However, not all agreed with this assessment. Regional leaders like Joachim Chissano described the polls as free and fair.
“As we accompanied in the preparation of elections, we were praying for peace and order at least we have seen, and I am happy we have seen the patient and order of Zimbabweans,” former Mozambique leader Joachim Chissano.
Zimbabwe is saddled with massive international debt, and the new government must clear those arrears.
The country has been isolated for years due to allegations of human rights violations. Chissano is the man tasked with dealing with the debt.
Mnangagwa said he will focus on growing the economy and tackling climate change-induced challenges.
“We shall make sure that we spread development in all spectrums of our country leaving no and no place behind so that every single household will be food secure and have access to both health and education,” said Mnangagwa.
As Mnangagwa’s last presidential term begins, alleviating Harare’s economic troubles will feature prominently.
