Zimbabwean Opposition Abandons Legal Challenge to Poll Results

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa was inaugurated on Monday, September 4, 2023 for his second term in office after Nelson Chamisa of the main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party failed to file papers in the country's apex court to challenge the Zanu-PF leader's re-election in polls that were condemned by the opposition and international observers.

Daily Maverick reports that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) declared that Mnangagwa won the presidential vote on August 23 with 52.6%, while Chamisa got 44% of the total votes cast. The remainder was split between other smaller parties.

CCC spokesperson Promise Mkwananzi said the party would not go to court in its quest to set aside Mnangagwa's controversial win, arguing that Zimbabwe's courts were captured by Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF. Mkwananzi said the party had dispatched envoys on a diplomatic offensive to push for fresh polls.

Speaking at a press conference on the weekend afte the election, Chamisa called these results "a blatant and gigantic fraud" on social media before declaring victory at a press conference in Harare.

InFocus

Crowds gather to cast their votes in Zimbabwe's general elections.

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