In Zimbabwe opposition claims victory
MDC ready to form govt, Chamisa says
HARARE: Zimbabwe opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said yesterday he was “winning resoundingly” as votes were counted in the first election since longtime ruler Robert Mugabe was ousted from power.
Mr Chamisa, who has raised allegations of voter fraud during the campaign, said his Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Party had results from 10,000 polling stations.
“Winning resoundingly ... We’ve done exceedingly well,” he said on Twitter after the landmark vote on Monday, adding “We are ready to form the next [government].”
Counting had continued through the night after a strong turnout in Zimbabwe’s first election without Mr Mugabe, who was ousted by the military last year after 37 years in office.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, expresident Mugabe’s former right-hand man in the ruling Zanu-PF party, had faced off against Mr Chamisa of the MDC in the historic vote.
Officials overseeing the polls, in which a record number of candidates stood, said many polling stations had queues and estimated that average turnout was around 75% one hour before polls closed on Monday evening.
“It is our view that the high voter turnout is indicative of sound voter education and publicity,” said Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) chairwoman Priscilla Chigumba at a media briefing in Harare late on Monday.
Previously banned European Union election observers, present for the first time in years, said participation appeared high but warned of possible “shortcomings” in the vote process.
“I am not shy to say I voted for Chamisa. He is young and can understand our plight as youth,” said Ndumiso Nyoni, 20, a worker at a lodge in Lupane, southern Zimbabwe.
At one polling station in Harare, officials counted large piles of votes using gas lanterns and candles late into the night.
“There are shortcomings that we have to check. We don’t know yet whether it was a pattern or whether it was a question of bad organisation in certain polling stations,” the EU’s chief observer Elmar Brok said. The bloc was due to deliver a report on the conduct of the election today.
“Overall [there was] a huge amount of voting — especially young people, mostly in a very good atmosphere, generally peaceful, which is positive,” he added.
With 5.6 million registered voters, full results of the presidential, parliamentary and local elections are due by Aug 4.
A run-off vote is scheduled for Sept 8 if no presidential candidate wins at least 50%.
Mr Mugabe, 94, who was ousted by the military in November, voted at his customary polling station in Harare alongside his wife Grace after a surprise two-hour press conference at his home on Sunday when he called for voters to reject Zanu-PF.
Mr Mugabe, wearing a dark suit and red tie, was greeted with cheers after casting his ballot but did not answer journalists’ questions about who he voted for.
Mr Mnangagwa, who voted in central Zimbabwe, said Mr Mugabe had the right to express himself.
Mr Mnangagwa, 75, has promised change and is the front-runner, benefiting from tacit military support, loyal state media and ruling party controls of government resources.