Opposition rejects Zimbabwe result
MNANGAGWA SEALS NARROW VICTORY
ZIMBABWE opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has declared “a day of mourning for democracy” and rejected the results of an election which saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa score a narrow victory.
Mr Chamisa spoke shortly after riot police briefly broke up journalists who were waiting for his statement at a hotel in Harare.
The Movement for Democratic Change leader, who received more than 44% of the vote, is alleging violence and harassment against his supporters and manipulation of the election results.
He said the opposition has evidence of vote-rigging but that the electoral commission “didn’t want to listen to us”. Mr Chamisa declared that “we won this election” and urged Mr Mnangagwa to acknowledge this. The president later said scenes of riot police dispersing journalists at the briefing in Harare “have no place in our society”. Mr Mnangagwa, left, said on Twitter that authorities are “urgently investigating” the events. The Zanu-PF leader, who took more than 50% of the vote, added that “we won the election freely and fairly, and have nothing to hide or fear”. Zimbabwe’s closely watched elections began with Monday’s peaceful vote, but turned deadly 48 hours later when the military opened fire on protesters, killing six people. Yesterday morning a truckload of police dispersed 100 local and international press members gathered to hear Mr Chamisa, without saying why they were taking such action.