Zimbabwe goes to the polls in what is the first election of the post-Mugabe era.
Following the impeachment of Robert Mugabe in November 2017, Zimbabwe goes to the polls without Mr Mugabe’s name on the ballot paper for the first time since he took power in 1980.
Zimbabwean’s have 23 candidates to choose from in this election, however, the winner is likely to be one of two candidates: incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa from ZANU-PF – who took over from Mugabe last year – and Nelson Chamisa of MDC-T.
Emmerson Mnangagwa – considered by many as the front-runner – has been president since 24th November 2017, following Mugabe being ousted as both president and ZANU-PF party leader.
Former president Mugabe has refused to endorse his successor, Mr Mnangagwa, citing that he ‘cannot vote for those who tormented me.’ Mugabe clearly has not forgiven those who he called ‘evil and malicious characters’ that ousted him late last year and has suggested he will instead vote against the party he spent almost 40 years in charge of.
Mnangagwa has promised greater economic development for his country and preached a message of hope for the Zimbabwean people.
Mnangagwa’s biggest opponent, Nelson Chamisa, has similarly promised a new dawn for his country and has been a fierce opponent of Mugabe’s former government for many years.
Chamisa, who is just 40 years old, would become Zimbabwe’s youngest ever head of state should he win the election and has gained some significant support due to his long history of opposing Mugabe.
The election, although likely Zimbabwe’s freest for generations, is still not completely without controversy, with Chamisa accusing the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) of impeding voting in urban areas, where he holds strong support.
After decades of Mugabe won faux-elections, it is vital that Zimbabwe has a credible vote in order to exit from tight sanctions and secure investment to arrest the chronic cash flow shortages that have plagued the country for years.
Alongside the presidential election, Zimbabwe shall also elect 210 members of parliament and around 9,000 councillors.
The ZEC are expected to announce the final results within 5 days.
