Zimbabwe election: Three dead in violent Harare protests as security forces battle demonstrators after Zanu-PF win in parliament vote
Millions peacefully cast their votes but soldiers now deployed in streets as presidential result delayed
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Your support makes all the difference.At least three people have been killed as police and soldiers in Harare clashed with opposition protesters amid a delay in announcing the winner of Zimbabwe’s presidential election. The scene in the capital has deteriorated into serious disorder, according to reports on the ground.
Gunfire was also heard after supporters of Movement for Democratic Change leader Nelson Chamisa took to the streets. Mr Chamisa has accused the ruling Zanu-PF party of electoral malfeasance and claimed he won the “popular vote” following Monday’s poll.
Zanu-PF won a two-thirds majority in the national assembly of parliament in the country’s first general election since Robert Mugabe was ousted from power in November 2017. The result means incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party will be empowered to make changes to the constitution at will.
But the result of the presidential poll has not yet been announced. Zimbabwe’s electoral commission has repeatedly revised its stance on when the presidential winner will be announced, with European Union observers questioning the delay.
The EU team identified a string of problems in Monday’s poll. They said a level playing field was not achieved due to voter intimidation, media bias and misuse of state resources, though the largely peaceful process was a clear improvement over the Mugabe era.
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The two main contenders in the presidential race were Mr Mnangagwa, a former deputy president and intelligence chief, and Mr Chamisa, a lawyer and pastor who leads the Movement for Democratic Change.
More than 5.5 million people were registered to vote and turnout was around 70%.
Both candidates issued upbeat assessments of how they did on polling day, with Mr Mnangagwa tweeting: ”I am delighted by the high turnout and citizen engagement so far”.
The election featured a record number of more than 20 presidential candidates and nearly 130 political parties vying for parliamentary seats.
Western election observers were in Zimbabwe, reflecting a freer political environment since the November resignation of Mr Mugabe, who had ruled since independence from white minority rule in 1980.
But there were concerns about bias in state media coverage of the election, a lack of transparency in ballot printing and reports of intimidation by pro-government local leaders who are supposed to stay neutral.
A person has been shot dead amid the protests, AFP reports. Two other news agencies, Reuters and the Associated Press, also reported the death.
A witness told Reuters the person was shot by soldiers near a bus rank in central Harare.
Women are running away shrieking as Zimbabwean soldiers approach them and try to strike them while security forces clear the streets of the capital, the Associated Press reports.
Zimbabwe's justice minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi, said the army was deployed on the streets of Harare to disperse a violent crowd and to restore "peace and tranquility."
"The presence of the army is not to intimidate people but to ensure that law and order is maintained. They are there to assist the police," Mr Ziyambi said in an interview broadcast on eNCA television.
"They are there as a people's army to ensure that peace and security prevails."
Mr Ziyambi said he had not heard whether people were injured by the army.
An uneasy silence is settling over Zimbabwe's capital, the Associated Press reports, after people fled military and other security forces firing live ammunition to break up opposition protests.
At least one person was killed.
Soldiers have been stationed at intersections in Harare as the sun begins to set.
Hundreds of angry opposition supporters had gathered outside the compound of the electoral commission before scattering as the military moved in.
The violence came shortly after Western election observers urged the release of the presidential results as soon as possible and warned a delay could lead to "volatility."
Zimbabwe's army was deployed in Harare's streets at the request of the police, who could not cope with the violence that erupted following a resounding ruling party victory in parliamentary elections, a police spokeswoman said.
Speaking on state television, Charity Charamba said regular police had been overwhelmed by the protesters, forcing police commissioner general to ask the home affairs minister in charge of the police to deploy armed soldiers.
The United Nations secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, has called on Zimbabwe's political leaders and population "to exercise restraint and reject any form of violence while awaiting resolution of the disputes and announcement of the election results," his spokesman said.
"We are concerned about the reports that there have been incidences of violence in parts of Zimbabwe," Farhan Haq told reporters.
"We'd like to remind the incumbents and the political parties of the commitments they made, the peace pledge and the code of conduct to ensure a peaceful electoral process."
The United States Embassy in Zimbabwe has said it is "deeply concerned" after the military moved into the capital to disperse hundreds of opposition protesters.
It released a statement calling on Zimbabwean security forces to "use restraint" and urged the leaders of political parties to call on their supporters for calm.
Zimbabwe's police say they have invoked a strict security act forbidding public gatherings after security forces swept into the capital to disperse hundreds of opposition protesters.
State broadcaster ZBC cited police spokeswoman Charity Charamba saying police asked for the military's help because they were "unable to cope."
Police say the protesters caused "massive destruction of property" in Harare. Meanwhile, many Zimbabweans have expressed shock at the military firing live ammunition.
Police say they have warned political leaders accused of incitement that "the long arm of the law will certainly catch up with them."
Both the opposition and Western election observers have urged that presidential election results be released as soon as possible.
Three people have died in violence in Harare, Zimbabwe police have said, according to the state broadcaster ZBC.
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