Zimbabwe gov't warns opposition over declaring early win

Zimbabwe’s ruling party has been angered by the opposition’s early victory claim in the July 30th presidential elections.

The opposition on Tuesday stated that their presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa won first round of the elections against incumbent head of state Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Government has thus threatened to arrest anyone announcing the result while the countdown drags on.

“We won the election, we got the results, the results show that we won, we are now asking, and we are pushing the Commission to announce the results,” declared Tendai Biti, a member of the opposition MDC Alliance.

The electoral commission announced on Wednesday that it would start releasing the presidential results, changing an earlier statement that they would only be available on Friday or Saturday.
Final results are expected before Saturday, August 4.

“We will protect this vote, the people of Zimbabwe have waited so long patiently, resisted the temptation to resort to illegal and unconstitutional means to achieve change,” Tendai added.

Zanu-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa said he was confident of his victory.
The ruling party since 1980 also won an absolute majority of seats in the National Assembly in Monday’s parliamentary elections.