Zimbabwe Runner-Up Accused President of Electoral Coup

The runner-up in Zimbabwe’s presidential election, Nelson Chamisa, has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of carrying out an electoral coup.

The leader of the opposition citizen’s coalition for change described official results from Wednesday’s election as a sham, and argued that international observers had reached the same conclusion.

At a press conference, Mr. Chamisa, who got 44% of the votes against Mr. Mnangagwa’s 52.6%, accused the electoral body of announcing false results.

Mr. Chamisa said there would be change in Zimbabwe whether president’s Mnangagwa’s Zanu-PF wanted it or not – he said he would not wait another five years.

Mr. Mnangagwa has dismissed international criticism of the poll, and insists that Zimbabwe’s election is fair.

Chamisa, speaking on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, said of the election: “It’s a blatant and gigantic fraud.”

He indicated he was counting on diplomatic pressure on the government.

“Do not leave us, particularly our fellow brothers and sisters in the region and on the continent,” he said. “We count on your solidarity as we seek to resolve this political crisis.”

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Mnangagwa first became president when longtime strongman Robert Mugabe was toppled in a 2017 military coup after 37 years in power. Mnangagwa’s first term was marked by runaway inflation, currency shortages and sky-high unemployment. Mnangagwa welcomed the result.

“I competed with them and I am happy that I have won the race,” he said at State House on Sunday amid heavy police presence in parts of the capital.

“Those who feel the race was not run properly should know where to go to.”

This is Mnangagwa’s second and possibly last term as the constitution limits presidential terms to two.

ZANU-PF spokesman Christopher Mutswangwa said the party, which mustered 136 of 209 seats in the parliamentary elections, was shy of a two-thirds majority.

“We will concentrate more on governance than probably trying to amend the constitution,” he told journalists on Sunday.

Term limits are a contentious issue in the southern African country given the length of Mugabe’s rule.