Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (80) has emerged victorious once again in the country's general elections which were held on Wednesday and Thursday. Mnangagwa polled 52,6% votes whilst his opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party led by Nelson Chamisa came second with 44% of the votes.

Mnangagwa took over from longtime leader Robert Mugabe after a 2017 army coup. In July 2018, Mnangagwa, narrowly won his re--election bid against the then Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC) leader Nelson Chamisa. Chamisa has since formed his own party. Mnangagwa's victory didn't come without criticism and suspicions of votes being rigged. Meanwhile, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Priscilla Chigumba, confirmed that Mnangagwa polled 2,350,711 votes to Chamisa's 1,967,343. Mnangagwa's party also won a two-thirds parliamentary majority after bagging 136 seats in the National Assembly while CCC took 73. The election in the Gutu West constituency was cancelled after one of the candidates, Christopher Rwodzi, died in a car crash during the campaign period. 

Soon after his victory was announced, Mnangagwa tweeted: "I am deeply humbled by the overwhelming support and joy shared by our people. This victory is a testament to the power of unity and progress. Together, we will continue building a brighter future for Zimbabwe. Thank you for your unwavering faith,"  Promise Mkwananzi, a spokesman for Chamisa's Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) said the party did not sign the final tally, which he described as "false" and rigged. "We cannot accept the results," he told AFP, adding the party would soon announce its next move. "Despite the overwhelming odds, the resilient Zimbabwean people came forward in vast numbers, casting their votes in the hope of a brighter and better future. However tonight (Saturday), ZEC declared their results, and discrepancies have become glaringly apparent," Mkwananzi said.