Court delays inauguration

HARARE: The inauguration of Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which was set for yesterday, will be delayed until the Constitutional Court ruled on a legal challenge to the election results filed by the opposition, the country’s justice minister said.

Mnangagwa took over from long-time leader Robert Mugabe in November and narrowly won the July 30 presidential election, according to official results.

Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, however, filed a lawsuit on Friday, calling the results “fraudulent, illegal and illegitimate”. Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi then announced that Mnangagwa’s inauguration has been postponed to allow “legal due process”.

The results of the electoral commission showed that Mnangagwa won with 50.8% of the vote, followed by Chamisa, with 44.3%. Chamisa claimed he had won 56% of the vote.

The court will have to rule on the challenge within 14 days.

One of Chamisa’s laywers, Chris Mhike, said all presidential candidates, including Mnangagwa, were listed as respondents in the court petition.

Foreign election observers said the poll had been free but unfair, referring to ruling party ZanuPF’s control over government bodies, media and security forces.

Days after the election, foreign officials and Human Rights Watch also condemned attacks on opposition supporters by security forces, who killed six protesters.

Among those affected by the crackdown was senior opposition politician Tendai Biti, who was on Thursday charged with inciting violence during post-election protests.