Zimbabwe’s presidential election hours away to result

Zimbabwe’s presidential election results will be announced at 11.00pm today(Nigerian time), Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Commissioner Dr Qhubani Moyo has said.

Moyo made the announcement at the National Election Results Centre in Harare where ZEC is regularly announcing election results for Senate, Provincial Council and Proportionate Representative.

In the parliamentary election results already announced, the ruling ZANU-PF has won more than two-thirds majority, clinching 144 seats out of the 207 constituencies whose results were announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).

The seven-party MDC Alliance managed only 61 seats, with the Mugabe project, the National Patriotic Front (NPF), winning one seat.

Only one independent candidate, Mr Temba Mliswa, won. He retained his Norton seat.

In 2013, the ruling Zanu-PF won 160 seats to the then MDC-T’s 49 with one seat going to the MDC then led by Professor Welshman Ncube who is now an MDC-Alliance principal.

Zanu-PF dominated its traditional strongholds of Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland South and Manicaland provinces.

In Mashonaland Central Province, the ruling party made a clean sweep of all 18 constituencies.

It also made significant headway in opposition strongholds such as Bulawayo, where it snatched Bulawayo South.

Despite losing the parliamentary election, the opposition MDC Alliance has been claiming victory in the presidential election after accusing the ZEC of tampering with the result.

MDC presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa had claimed in a tweet early on Tuesday that he won resoundingly, a claim justified by the verdict given by voters only in Harare and Bulawayo. The results from other parts of the country were not so good for MDC Alliance.

MDC’s claim and protests against alleged vote rigging in Harare on Wednesday led to a clash with the army and police. Three persons were reportedly killed.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has sent condolences to the families of the victims of the violence, which he said was orchestrated by MDC.

“I wish to extend my sincere condolences to the families of the victims of yesterday’s violence,” he said.

“All human life is sacred, and their deaths are a tragedy, irrespective of the circumstances. I would like to also wish a speedy recovery to all those injured in yesterday’s events. They, alongside the families of the victims, are in my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. The most important thing for us now is to move beyond yesterday’s tragic events, and to move forward, together.”.

NAN