In the first presidential election since the removal of Robert Mugabe, incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa has claimed victory, winning 50.8% of the vote. With all 10 provinces declared, challenger and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa attained only 44.3% of the vote.
By winning a slight majority of the vote, the man nicknamed “the Crocodile” has avoided a run-off election against the embattled opposition leader. Chamisa’s MDC Alliance has opposed the results, claiming they could not yet be verified. Supporters of the opposition also protested on the streets of Harare, the nation’s capital, claiming the vote was rigged. In the past, it has been alleged that people aged over 140 were registered to vote and that some home addresses had over one-hundred registered voters. Yet, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) claimed this was a clean election and all prior irregularities were resolved.
Since the election, police and troops have been patrolling Harare due to the onslaught of violence. The government has blamed the opposition for such violence, with the army opening fire on protesters in order to halt further potential violence. Protesters were also enraged with the delay in the vote with the final results pointing to a parliamentary landslide for Zanu-PF and Mnangagwa. This was criticised by the European Union and the Commonwealth representatives who were invited to observe the elections.
What is the significance of Mnangagwa’s victory? Although only securing a small majority of the primary vote, it is nonetheless a majority. Mnangagwa will use this to legitimise his presidency and his grip on power. However, this vote will also be used to legitimise the coup d’état against Mugabe in November 2017.
Mugabe held a press conference before the election, stating he would not vote for Mnagagwa and encouraged others to vote for the opposition leader. Mugabe stated he would not vote for “those who tormented me.” This was a turn against the party he led for four decades before being deposed. He also claimed Mnangagwa destroyed Zimbabwe’s democracy by abetting his supposedly illegal removal from office. Although Mugabe sought to boost Chamisa’s chance by disparaging his former vice president, his statement that he would accept the result regardless of who won still validates the Mnangagwa presidency and even the events of November 2017.
Although attaining 144 seats in the House of Assembly to the 64 seats won by the MDC Alliance, Mnangagwa has sought to suppress the violence by calling for an independent investigation. By attempting to reach a consensus with Chamisa, the President is trying to consolidate his power and eliminate any opposition to his legitimacy.
The main aim of this election was to warrant the force used in November 2017 and give license to the Mnangagwa presidency. With a majority and no run-off election needed, the Crocodile has protected his position and his role in the coup has bee validated. Yet, with the election’s credibility questioned by the main opposition and election observers, his leadership is not yet ironclad.
