Polls have opened in Zimbabwe as President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks a second and final term in a country with a history of violent and disputed votes
Polls opened in Zimbabwe on Wednesday as President Emmerson Mnangagwa seeks a second and final term in a country with a history of violent and disputed votes.
These are the second general elections since the ouster of longtime repressive ruler Robert Mugabe in a coup in 2017.
There are 12 presidential candidates on the ballot. The main contest is expected to be between the 80-year-old Mnangagwa, known as the «the crocodile», and 45-year-old opposition leader Nelson Chamisa. Mnangagwa narrowly beat Chamisa in a disputed election in 2018.
Chamisa hopes to break the ruling ZANU-PF party’s 43-year hold on power.
A runoff election will be held on Oct. 2. if no candidate wins a clear majority in the first round. This election also will determine the makeup of the 350-seat parliament and close to 2,000 local council positions.
