Zimbabwe’s embattled electoral commission has said voters should expect the result of Monday’s presidential election “very soon”, following scenes of violence and death in the capital Harare yesterday.
The authority’s website was hacked overnight and it was forced to deny claims by the opposition that it had allowed the vote to be rigged in favour of incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa.
At least three people were killed amid running battles in Harare on Tuesday as troops opened fire on rioting supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDS). Some 30 people were injured.
Commonwealth observers condemned the army’s approach, with former Ghanaian president John Mahama saying the bloc “categorically [denounced] the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians”.
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Zanu-PF is claiming victory in the presidential election and telling the opposition that “we should all lose graciously.”
Spokesman Paul Mangwana urged supporters to “celebrate our victory with restraint”.
He also told reporters that opposition protesters were responsible for yesterday’s violence in Harare, where soldiers beat and shot at supporters of the MDC.
“It is not entirely true protesters were not armed,” he claimed.
A new joint statement by foreign election observers in Zimbabwe has expressed “grave concern” over deadly violence after Monday’s vote and urged the electoral commission to release the full results “expeditiously” and in a transparent manner.
The statement by European Union, US, Commonwealth, African Union and other observer missions denounced the “excessive use of force” used to suppress Wednesday’s protests in the capital and urged Zimbabwe’s army and police to use restraint.
Zimbabwean authorities said the military would remain deployed until “this situation is over”.
AP
Mr Mnangagwa’s spokesman declared on state television that no order was issued by the army to clear central Harare, terming such reports “fake news”.
George Charamba said Thursday was “a normal working day”, though nearly all shops in the downtown area were shuttered and the streets quieter than usual.
The electoral commission announced yesterday that the ruling Zanu-PF party, led by Mr Mnangagwa, had won a two-thirds majority in the national assembly of parliament.
In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election
But it delayed announcing the result of the presidential poll, which Nelson Chamisa, the MDC leader, claimed to have won. Tensions escalated dramatically after the 40-year-old announced, without offering proof, that he had won the “popular vote” and accused Zanu-PF of electoral malfeasance.
The commission has changed its announcement schedule a number of times in the past few days.
European Union observers said yesterday they had identified a string of problems with Monday’s election, though it had been an improvement over polls conducted under former leader Robert Mugabe. Voter intimidation, misuse of state resources and bias in state media meant a “level playing field” was not achieved, they said.
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