Official results indicated that Zimbabwe’s ruling party, ZANU-PF, on Wednesday, August 1, won the majority of seats in parliament after claiming rural constituencies by huge margins.
This, no doubt, has set the stage for President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s victory
The Zimbabwe electoral commission results showed Mnangagwa’s ZANU-PF inching to majority after picking up 109 seats against 41 for the Opposition’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). Another 58 seats are yet to be declared. The House of Assembly of Parliament attracted 210 seats and ZANU-PF would need to win 30 more to have a two-thirds majority that would allow it to alter the constitution. Reuters reported on Wednesday, August 1. Voters in Zimbabwe pick a presidential candidate based on their party affiliation and the tradition in the parliamentary election was expected to be maintained when results for the president are declared by the electoral commission.
Spearheaded by Nelson Chamisa, MDC won in most urban centres where it enjoys more allegiance. However, the Opposition accused Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Tuesday, July 31, of intentionally delaying results of the votes in a bid to favour the ruling party. The MDC also pointed out some irregularities in the first election since the removal of ex-president Robert Mugabe in the November 2017, coup.
Although the polls went off peacefully, several water cannon trucks patrolled outside the central Harare headquarters of the MDC as its supporters danced in jubilation across the streets.
The estimates have shown that the MDC candidate had accrued at least 65% of the total votes cast. Incumbent president, Emmerson Mnangagwa who ran in the presidential race on a ZANU-PF ticket came second with an estimated 32%.