Zimbabwe’s election resulted in unrest in the country, the government crackdown in Zimbabwe after Monday’s elections has prompted international calls for restraint, BBC said.
The result of the presidential election has yet to be declared. The MDC opposition alliance insists its candidate, Nelson Chamisa, beat the incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa. While the promised bright future is far, the violence, in which three Zimbabweans were killed after troops opened fire became the reason for the UN, US and the UK to call for restraining.
Antonio Guterres of the United States urged Zimbabwe’s politicians to exercise restraint, while UK foreign office minister Harriett Baldwin said she was “deeply concerned” by the unrest on Harare’s sreets. In its Twitter, the US embassy urged the army to “use restraint”, saying Zimbabwe had a “historic opportunity” for a brighter future.
Monday’s election results are incomplete so far but according to the preliminary counting by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), victory belongs to the ruling Zanu-PF party in the first vote since the removal of former ruler Robert Mugabe. Of course, the opposition says Zanu-PF rigged the election.
Zimbabwe parliamentary election preliminary results
The ZEC has announced 122 seats for Zanu-PF so far, and 53 for MDC Alliance, local state media reported. There are 210 seats in the National Assembly’s lower house.
Human rights group Amnesty International (AI) meanwhile called on the government to open a probe into the army’s actions. Colm O Cuanachain who is an AI’s acting Secretary General told journalists during the briefing that a “militarization” of the election aftermath was “muzzling freedom of expression, association and assembly”.
Three Zimbabweans have been killed in the capital city as soldiers and police fought running battles with hundreds of protesters, firing live ammunition, tear gas and water cannon amid rising tension following Zimbabwe’s presidential election.
“People must be guaranteed their right to protest,”
Colm O Cuanachain added.
