STILL IN POWER

Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa Wins First Post-Mugabe Election

Only 300,000 votes separated him and challenger Nelson Chamisa.

Zimbabwe’s incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa narrowly defeated challenger Nelson Chamisa in the country’s first election without former president Robert Mugabe on the ballot. About 300,000 votes and support from rural areas separated Mnangagwa and Chamisa, with 23 candidates running in the election. With Mnangagwa winning, the political party of Mugabe will still be in power since its founding in 1980—although the ex-president ended up endorsing Chamisa, since Mnangagwa was the one who ousted him in a military coup last year. Chamisa and others in his campaign have insisted that they won and claim that the election was rigged in Mnangagwa’s favor. They also say they have proof but have yet to release any evidence. Mnangagwa will now assume a full five-year term after serving eight months in office post-coup. Protesters from Chamisa’s party clashed with police Wednesday over delays in announcing the election’s winner. At least six were killed, 14 were injured, and 26 were arrested as police used live fire, water tanks, and tear gas on the protesters.