Zimbabwe: analysts weigh in on what's next after disputed polls

Analysts say Zimbabwe’a main opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC-Alliance should be seen as contesting the election results in court and not sit on the fence.

Derek Matsyzak of the Institute of Security Studies says the MDC should not repeat what it did in 2008 when the late Morgan Tsvangirai failed to head to court over the disputed polls.

“Just after the MDC accusations, the ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) responded by issuing a table showing all the results of the presidential election, for each polling station. It would be rather strange to manipulate the results and then produce a table allowing everyone to see how the results were manipulated’‘, Matsyzak said.

A professor of political science at the Amherst University believes if measures that could stabilize the country’s economic situation are not taken quickly, Nelson Chamisa’s appeal will not stand up to pressure from the people.

“If the state of the economy does not improve, their problem will no longer be Nelson Chamisa, but the next person who will come to set himself on fire in the street. It will not be the opposition, with whom they can negotiate, it will be people who come to Harare to burn buildings. As we have seen in Zimbabwe in the past, this would not be the first time. So the government needs to know who its electorate really is and who they need to pay attention to”, said Chipo Dendere.

During his inaugural speech in late November, President Emmerson Mnangagwa spoke passionately about the economy of this Southern African nation.

He said for a new Zimbabwe to be born, its important to encourage entrepreneurship while rallying all for the common good.