No rigging – Crocodile

President Emmerson Mnangagwa called for Zimbabwe to unite behind him yesterday after he was declared the winner of the national elections, but the opposition leader insisted he had won and that he would use all means necessary to challenge the result.

Mnangagwa said his victory was won fairly and he had nothing to hide, although he criticised chaotic scenes where police chased away journalists waiting for a briefing from his main presidential election rival, Nelson Chamisa of the Movement for Democratic Change.

“Here was a celebration of Zimbabwean democracy, a festival of unfettered freedom. With the eyes of the world on us, we delivered a free, fair and credible election,” Mnangagwa said.

“No democratic process is flawless and Zimbabwe was no exception,” he added.

Chamisa later told reporters that Mnangagwa’s ruling Zanu-PF had used deadly violence against opposition supporters after voting because it had lost the election, which is the first since the army removed 94-year-old Robert Mugabe from office in November.

“We are going to explore all necessary means, legal and constitutional, to ensure the will of the people is protected,” Chamisa said.

He declined to divulge the specific action that his party would take.

After three days of claims and counterclaims, 75-yearold Mnangagwa, a former spy chief under Mugabe, secured victory.

He polled 2.46 million votes against 2.15 million for 40-year-old opposition leader Chamisa, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced early yesterday.

“This is a new beginning. Let us join hands, in peace, unity and love, and together build a new Zimbabwe for all,” he tweeted.

Later, after the ruckus ahead of Chamisa’s news conference, he added: “The scenes today at the Bronte Hotel have no place in our society and we are urgently investigating the matter to understand exactly what happened.

“We won the election freely and fairly and have nothing to hide or fear. Anyone is free to address the media at any time.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa, current chair of the Southern African Development Community, urged all Zimbabweans to accept the result. – Reuters & AFP