INTERNATIONAL NEWS - The Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC) has announced the results of who won Monday’s Zimbabwean presidential election at about 00.40 on Friday morning.

There were 23 presidential candidates in total. Only two received significant support.

Nelson Chamisa of the Movement for Democratic Change-Alliance received 2 147 436 votes, constituting 44.3% of the total.

Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zanu-PF received 2 460 463 votes, constituting 50.8% of the total.

ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba announced that voter turnout had been high.

She expressed her regrets at the post-election violence, and urged her countrymen to take their place in the international community.

At about half past midnight, a representative from the MDC Alliance had appeared to hijack the stage at the events centre in Harare and said they were rejecting the results so far because they had not been verified by party agents. He said the results were fake.

He was removed by police guards. His message made it clear that the MDC Alliance is likely to contest the results.

Shortly thereafter, Mnangagwa was announced as the winner. Chigumba said the fact that he won more than half the votes cast meant he could be declared the outright winner, with effect from 3 August 2018.

Mnangagwa won six of the ten provinces, with four going to Nelson Chamisa of the MDC Alliance.

Chamisa dominated in urban areas, while Mnangagwa was more popular in rural areas, and led the popular vote.

Zanu-PF already won the parliamentary vote by a landslide, it was announced on Wednesday. The ZEC said it would announce the results of all provinces and then announce tonight who is the overall winner.

Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen.