United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has raised concern over the situation in Zimbabwe where political temperatures are rising after a disputed election.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission yesterday announced that incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa had won the presidential election by 52, 6 % and his main rival Nelson Chamisa had garnered 44%. Chamisa has rejected the election saying it was rigged.
In a press statement, Guterres spokesperson, Florencia Soto Niño, said, “The Secretary-General is closely following developments in Zimbabwe's elections … He is concerned about the arrest of observers, reports of voter intimidation, and threats of violence, harassment and coercion.”
Police arrested 41 independent election observers from the Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network and the Election Resource Centre on Election Day. The two groups allege this was an attempt to stop independent verification of election results. Police allege they wanted to prematurely announce results of the elections. They have since been granted bail.
The UN further said, “The Secretary-General calls on political leaders and their supporters to reject any and all forms of violence, threats of violence, or incitement to violence, and to ensure that human rights and the rule of law are fully respected.”
Guteress urged political actors to “peacefully settle any disputes through established legal and institutional channels, and urged the relevant authorities to resolve any disputes in a fair, expeditious, and transparent manner to ensure that the results are a true reflection of the will of the people.”
Crackdown on the opposition
In a press statement, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said, “The Zimbabwe Republic Police has deployed officers throughout the country to maintain law and order.”
Nyathi said, “The Zimbabwe Republic Police is fully aware of attempts by some political activists to mobilize groups of people to move in small numbers and come to Harare for purported briefing and popcorn demonstrations under the guise of citizen voter auditor verification. This has even been given credence by some social media posts obtained by the police where some individuals and groups are openly inciting violence and issuing threats aimed at causing alarm and despondency among Zimbabweans.”
The opposition Citizen Coalition for Change is alleging that the statement is meant to disguise the crackdown on its members.
State security agents on Saturday night allegedly abducted a CCC member in the high-density suburb of Highfield in the capital, Harare. Party spokesperson, Promise Mkwananzi confirmed the development to VOA Studio 7. Police have also issued a statement saying they want to detain Mkwananzi for a 2020 outstanding warrant for “incitement to commit violence.” Mkwananzi denied the allegation.
The CCC supporter was allegedly targeted after scuttling plans by state agents to disrupt a party press conference in Harare.
Observers from the African Union, the regional Southern African Development Community, the Commonwealth, the European Union, Washington and London said the election “fell short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe and regional and AU guidelines.
Chamisa has also rejected the outcome. However, Mnangagwa at a press conference at the State House took a swipe at the observers, saying he does not, “think it is in the mandate of election observers to interrogate institutions of sovereign government, the judiciary, the legislature and governance.”