Emmerson Mnangagwa secures second term as Zimbabwean president amid election irregularities

Zimbabwe’s incumbent President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has clinched a second term in office following a controversial election plagued by voting irregularities. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has officially announced Mnangagwa as the victor with 52.6% of the ballots, surpassing his rival Nelson Chamisa from the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC), who garnered 44% of the votes. This election marks six years since the removal of the long-standing leader, Robert Mugabe, from power through a military coup. However, the CCC swiftly rejected the election outcomes, asserting that the presidential voting process was conducted hastily. In a statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, CCC spokesperson Promise Mkhwananzi stated, “We do not accept hastily compiled results lacking proper verification… As the situation unfolds, we will guide the citizens on the next course of action. We stand unwavering for the people’s triumph.” Ziyambi Ziyambi, Mnangagwa’s principal elections representative, conveyed, “We hold the belief that our actions serve as our manifesto. We are confident that the people of Zimbabwe have cast their votes wisely.” Mnangagwa secured a second term despite facing substantial criticism from the Southern African Development Committee (SADC) electoral observer team, overseen by former Vice-President of Zambia, Nevers Mumba. The preliminary report released by SADC on Friday expressed, “The election did not meet the criteria outlined in the Zimbabwean constitution, the Electoral Act, and the SADC principles and guidelines for democratic elections.” Other international observer groups joined SADC in condemning the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) for its inadequate management of the election process and for the apprehension of activists. Fabio Massimo Castaldo, the European Union electoral observer, highlighted, “While the election day was assessed as relatively calm by the EU EOM (Election Observation Missions), the overall electoral process suffered from significant challenges related to the autonomy and transparency of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. The ZEC missed opportunities to foster public trust in the credibility of the voting and results management.” On the day of voting, numerous Zimbabweans waited in queues for over 12 hours due to the electoral commission’s failure to distribute election materials on time. As a result, Mnangagwa extended the voting period by an additional day, a decision that attracted criticism from observers. In the parliamentary elections, Mnangagwa’s party secured victory with 136 seats, while the CCC obtained 73 seats. However, Zanu-PF fell short of securing a two-thirds majority required for introducing constitutional amendments, a concern among observers as such amendments could potentially extend presidential term limits. After serving for five years, Mnangagwa has been censured for his inability to revive the economy. The nation, once acclaimed as the agricultural hub of southern Africa, continues to grapple with high unemployment and poverty rates. Despite claims of a plentiful harvest, nearly 3.8 million individuals will experience food scarcity this year.