Zimbabwe opposition alleges fraud after Mnangagwa wins second term

Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Citizens Coalition for Change, Nelson Chamisa, has accused President Emmerson Mnangagwa of stealing the general election after the Zanu-PF incumbent was declared the winner.

Chamisa, who came in second with 44% of the vote against Mnangagwa's 52.6%, accused the ruling Zanu-PF, which has been in power for 43 years, of a "blatant and gigantic fraud" and said international election observers agreed with him.

"They stole your voice and vote but never your hope. It's a blatant and gigantic fraud," Chamisa wrote in a Twitter post in which he pledged freedom and justice for Zimbabwe.

Chamisa said the results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission on Saturday were false and that the electoral body had failed to run the polls properly amid reports thousands of voters waited in line for more than 12 hours after the commission failed to deliver ballot papers on time and voting had to be extended by an extra day.

"The election process was shamelessly flawed, and violated the laws of our country. There was therefore criminality and illegality in the voting process. The ZEC failed to perform its constitutional mandate by not announcing the correct result."

Chamisa called for neighboring countries to show solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe.

"Africa, do not leave us. Particularly our brothers and sisters in the region and the continent. We count on your solidarity as we seek to solve this political crisis," Chamisa said at a press conference in Harare on Monday.

Chamisa has seven days to provide evidence of electoral fraud and challenge the result in court.

In a report Friday, the South African Development Community election observer mission said the election did not come up to the standards mandated by Zimbabwe's constitution and while it was largely peaceful the process was not credible.

European Union observers condemned the arrest of accredited domestic election observers in raids on polling day with a climate of "fear" surrounding the election due to the passage of "regressive legal provisions and acts of violence and intimidation."

The United Nations said that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was following developments in Zimbabwe closely.

"He is concerned about the arrest of observers, reports of voter intimidation, threats of violence, harassment and coercion," a U.N. spokesperson said.

Mnangagwa has shrugged off all criticism, insisting that the Aug. 23-24 election was free and fair.

Chamisa lost against Mnangagwa in elections in 2018 after Mnangagwa succeeded autocrat Robert Mugabe who was forced to step aside after 37 years in a military coup in 2017 that removed Mugabe but allowed his Zanu-PF party to hold onto power.