Zimbabwe’s main opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), has called for fresh free and fair elections after losing to Mnangagwa.
CCC presidential candidate, Nelson Chamisa, lost to incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The CCC alleged that the election was flawed and did not meet democratic standards, and urged the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to mediate a solution to the crisis.
Mnangagwa won a second term with 52.6% of the vote, according to official results. However, international observers said the vote fell short of international standards.
“Zimbabwe needs a fresh, free, fair and credible election to exit the current crisis,” the CCC’s deputy spokesman, Ostallos Siziba, told a press conference in Harare.
The CCC has not ruled out challenging the results in court, promising “to employ all the necessary measures.”
The AU and SADC have called for calm and urged all sides to respect the results of the election. The United Nations has also urged all sides to resolve the crisis peacefully.
The crisis in Zimbabwe is a reminder of the challenges facing the country’s transition to democracy. It remains to be seen whether Mnangagwa will be able to overcome the opposition’s challenge and maintain his grip on power.
Emmerson Mnangagwa: Ascendance to power
Emmerson Mnangagwa was appointed First Vice-President of Zimbabwe in 2014, but was dismissed in 2017 by Robert Mugabe who earmarked his wife, Grace Mugabe as his successor. He was briefly exiled in South Africa.
Following a brief military coup that forced Mugabe to resign, Mnangagwa who is nicknamed “The Crocodile”, was chosen as ZANU–PF’s leader and was sworn in as President of Zimbabwe on November 24, 2017.
