Zimbabwe’s incumbent wins disputed presidential election

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa emerged Thursday night as the winner of a contested presidential election that led to violent protests and the death of at least six people. The country’s electoral commission said Mnangagwa won 50.8 percent of the vote, while opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party emerged with 44.3 percent. Mnangagwa’s ruling ZANU-PF party also secured a majority in Parliament earlier this week.

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

Chamisa denounced Mnangagwa’s victory at a Friday morning news conference attended by about 100 members of the local and international news media, saying it was a vote “stolen from the people.” Police officers with shields and batons tried to disperse the gathered reporters but pulled back after cameras recorded their actions. The opposition leader said his party had evidence of vote-rigging but the electoral commission “didn’t want to listen to us.”

The military was not visible on Harare’s streets on Friday, but water cannons and police remained present at the MDC headquarters, a day after government authorities raided it and made 18 arrests. Clashes between opposition supporters and police on Wednesday left at least six people dead and about 18 others injured. The Zimbabwe-based Election Support Network called on the electoral commission to release the results from individual polling stations “to enhance transparency and accountability.”