Zimbabwe election - LIVE: Opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa claims victory and says police violence a sign Mnangagwa stole result

Six killed as army crackdown on opposition protests

Zimbabwe election: Shots fired at protesting crowds in Harare as violence escalates

Zimbabwe’s opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, has declared "a day of mourning for democracy" after he rejected the results of an election which saw the country's president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, win a narrow victory.

Mr Chamisa who received more than 44 per cent of the vote, said “unverified fake results” had been announced by the electoral commission, and called on the commission to “release proper & verified results endorsed by parties.”

“The level of opaqueness, truth deficiency, moral decay & values deficit is baffling.”

Six people have been killed amid an army crackdown on opposition supporters in the streets of the capital, Harare, where tanks rolled in to disperse rock-throwing demonstrators who were protesting alleged vote-rigging.

Mr Mnangagwa said he was “humbled” by the victory and urged Zimbabweans to stay peaceful. He received 2.46 million votes against 2.15 million for Mr Chamisa, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission announced early on Friday.

“This is a new beginning. Let us join hands, in peace, unity and love, and together build a new Zimbabwe for all,” Mr Mnangagwa said.

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The week’s events left many Zimbabweans with a sense of unease and questions about how different Mr Mnangagwa is from his predecessor and former mentor, longtime dictator Robert Mugabe, who stepped down in November under military pressure amid a ruling party feud after 37 years in power.

The 75-year-old Mnangagwa has tried to recast himself as a voice of change, declaring the once-prosperous Zimbabwe is “open for business” and inviting the Western election observers who for years had been banned by Mr Mugabe.

If this election is judged credible, it will be a big step towards the lifting of international sanctions on this southern African nation whose economy has long collapsed and whose reputation has suffered after years of repression of the opposition and allegedly rigged votes.

So far international observers have issued mixed reviews, calling Monday’s election peaceful and a break from the past but expressing grave concern about the military’s “excessive” use of force.

They criticised the delay in releasing the results of the presidential vote, saying it raised concerns about possible manipulation.

Harare’s roads were quiet and appeared to be free from troops on Friday.

Water cannons and anti-riot police remained present at the headquarters of the main opposition party, a day after authorities raided it and made 18 arrests.

Additional reporting by agencies

Key Points

• Emmerson Mnangagwa declared winner of country’s first post-Mugabe poll
• Opposition leader questioned outcome and demands 'proper and verified' results be released
• Independent election observers call for release of results from individual polling stations to allay concerns

[3 August 2018 14:25 · Samuel Osborne]

The leader of Zimbabwe's opposition, Nelson Chamisa, called police disruption of his news conference "unacceptable" and "unnecessary."

[3 August 2018 14:26 · Samuel Osborne]

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Chamisa said the Zanu-PF panicked and used violence because it was defeated in the presidential election.

[3 August 2018 14:32 · Samuel Osborne]

Mr Chamisa said the election was "fraudulent, illegal, illegitimate". He claimed his party, the MDC, had won the election.

He said his party would challenge and seek to nullify the result given by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. 

[3 August 2018 14:39 · Samuel Osborne]

Mr Chamisa declared "a day of mourning ... for democracy". 

He spoke shortly after riot police briefly broke up journalists waiting for his statement. Mr Mnangagwa quickly condemned the police action. 

Mr Chamisa, who received over 44 percent of the vote, is alleging violence and harassment against his supporters and manipulation of the election results. 

He said the opposition has evidence of vote-rigging but the electoral commission "didn't want to listen to us." 

He declared "we won this election" and urged Mr Mnangagwa to acknowledge that. 

[3 August 2018 14:52 · Samuel Osborne]

[3 August 2018 16:34 · Kristin Hugo]

[3 August 2018 16:34 · Kristin Hugo]

Zimbabwe's president, Emmerson Mnangagwa has praised "a free, fair and credible election, as we have always promised"

[3 August 2018 16:36 · Kristin Hugo]

In a press conference, Mr Mnangagwa says the violence that has erupted following the election must be condemned. 

He also added that the violence must not detract from democracy.

[3 August 2018 16:41 · Kristin Hugo]

Mr Mnangagwa has said he will order an independent inquiry into an army crackdown that will lead to at least six people dying.

[3 August 2018 16:49 · Kristin Hugo]

The president-elect also said that the scenes of riot police dispersing journalists "have no place in our society"