Official results gave President Emerson Mnangagwa a second term with 52.6% of the vote, well ahead of his main opposition rival Nelson Chamisa, who finished on 44%.
The opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) party has rejected the results, alleging that the polls were marred by irregularities and called for a re-run, plunging the country into an uncertainty that analysts say could lead to a dire outcome: a possible military takeover.
These fears have gained further credence after Wednesday’s coup in Gabon, where the military seized power hours after the controversial re-election of President Ali Bongo Ondimba following the disputed Aug. 26 elections that observers said were riddled with flaws.
Bekezela Gumbo, lead researcher at the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute (ZDI), said a similar situation cannot be ruled out in Zimbabwe as the election standoff has shattered the hopes of millions of people who were hoping for change.
