On July 30, 2018, general election was held in Zimbabwe to elect the president and the members of the National Assembly. About 70% of five million registered voters casted their ballots. Almost half (43.5%) of the high voter turnout consisted of voters under the age of 35.
The general election was the first voting since Robert Mugabe, 94, was ousted from presidential office last November after being in power for nearly four decades. Among 23 presidential candidates, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 75, former vice-president of Mugabe and the head of Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) and the challenger Nelson Chamisa, 40, of Movement for Democratic Change Party (MDC Alliance) were considered voters’ favorites.
Monday’s general election results are expected by August 4 as the constitution mandates that the official results be released within five days of the end of voting. While the results are yet to be finalized, according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has won over 50 percent of seats in the parliament.
The incomplete results show that the ruling Zanu-PF won 122 seats, while the MDC Alliance won 53, and the National Patriotic Front and an independent candidate each won one seat. Remaining 33 seats are to be announced.
Mnangagwa’s party has attained a two-thirds majority in the parliament which amounts to 270 with 210 directly elected members. Therefore, the Zanu-PF may make changes to the constitution, if willing.
The 2018 general election holds significance for Zimbabwe for various reasons. After suffering from hyperinflation under Mugabe, Zimbabwe is in need of foreign capital flow through both forms of loans and easing of economic sanctions. With foreign nationals observing the election, a free and fair election could provide a vital opportunity to bolster Zimbabwean economy.
By MSEAP Cyber Secretariat (mseap@assembly.go.kr) |
