The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has stated its intention to release the results of the Presidential election by Sunday evening, August 27, 2023. The voting process in Zimbabwe took place on August 23 but was extended to August 24 due to delays.
Previously, ZEC had announced that presidential election results would be made available within five days of the voting day. However, recent updates suggest that ZEC may not need the full five days and will announce the results once the verification process is complete.
Both the ruling ZANU PF party and the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) claim that their respective candidates, President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa, may have emerged as winners. They say they base these claims on the data received thus far.
Some of Our Observations:
There are instances where President Mnangagwa received fewer votes than his own party’s councillors and Members of Parliament. For example, in the Cowdry Park Constituency, Finance Minister and ZANU PF candidate Professor Mthuli Ncube received 6,530 votes, while President Mnangagwa obtained only 3,317 votes.
This discrepancy suggests that there were voters who supported ZANU PF’s Mthuli Ncube but did not vote for President Mnangagwa. In the same constituency, Nelson Chamisa garnered 11,205 votes, while CCC’s National Assembly candidate, Pashor Sibanda, received 8,411 votes. If similar patterns emerge in other urban areas, President Mnangagwa will need strong support from rural areas to counter Nelson Chamisa’s momentum.
Furthermore, it is anticipated that the opposition will have a diminished presence in parliament as ZANU PF secures the majority of seats. The allocation of proportional representatives is currently underway at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC).
This situation could potentially grant ZANU PF a two-thirds majority, enabling them to amend the constitution without significant obstacles.
Source PindulaNews
