Zimbabweans go to the polls on Wednesday August 23 in a closely watched presidential and legislative election, after a campaign marred by a crackdown on dissent, fears of voter fraud and public outrage over the economic crisis.
The opposition, traditionally strongest in urban areas, hopes to ride a wave of discontent over the southern African country’s economic woes amid high inflation, unemployment and widespread poverty.
“We are tired of this. We are living from hand to mouth,” said Paddington, 27, a fruit vendor, as he sat in a rusty blue truck with a flat tire and a load full of oranges in the bustling market. of Mbare, the oldest township in Harare.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, who rose to power after a coup that ousted late ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017 and is running for re-election, has promised growth and new infrastructure.
He seems certain of his victory.
“I’m going for my second term, it’s my last,” he told state media on the eve of the elections.
Asked if the president was the right person to change things, Paddington, the orange seller, who preferred not to give his full name, burst into a nervous laugh: “He is not the right person.”
Pointing to a Mnangagwa election poster on the front door of his truck, he said: “That’s to be safe and make money,” hinting at fear of reprisals from the authorities for those who speak out against the government.
Manipulation fears
Mnangagwa’s main opponent is Nelson Chamisa, 45, who leads the yellow-colored Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) party.
The lawyer and pastor has promised a new Zimbabwe “for all”, tackling corruption, relaunching the economy and pulling the country out of international isolation.
“Zimbabwe, our time has come,” he told a large campaign rally in Harare on Monday. “We’re going to win by a wide margin,” she said.
However, in a country with a history of tainted elections, few believe it will come out on top.
The CCC has complained of having been subjected to unfair attacks by the authorities, the arrest of its members, the blocking of dozens of events and little or no broadcast on national television.
But electoral authorities dismissed concerns about irregularities in the electoral roll, calling them “products of creative imagination.”
“We are prepared. If there is a problem, we will deal with it,” said Rodney Kiwa, vice-chairman of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
Chamisa is used to even choices.
In 2018 he narrowly lost to Mnangagwa in an election he condemned as rigged and marred by a deadly crackdown on post-election protests.
Government spokesman Nick Mangwana said the authorities were confident in the electoral process and believed that everything would go peacefully.
“There is a lot of calm in the country,” he told AFP. “I just want all Zimbabweans to accept the choice of the Zimbabwean people,” she added.
‘Crocodile’ promises
The former British colony, then called Rhodesia, broke away from London in 1965 under white minority rule.
After a long guerrilla war, it gained independence in 1980 and was renamed Zimbabwe.
But under Mugabe, the fledgling democracy spiraled into authoritarianism and economic decline.
Things have hardly improved since Mnangagwa came to power. According to the World Bank, the country, rich in agricultural and mineral resources, is saddled with “unsustainable” debt levels.
Inflation officially stood at 101% in July, but some economists say the real figure is higher.
Its more than 15 million inhabitants, two-thirds of whom are under 25, have difficulty finding stable employment.
Meickle Dumukwa, 55, an onion seller, said he believed the president would keep his promises and fix bad roads, which he said would drastically reduce the time it takes to get onions from the farm to his stall. in the capital market.
“They have promised many things, so we are looking forward to them. I am happy that I can change my life,” he said.
To win re-election, Mnangagwa, nicknamed the ‘crocodile’ for his cruelty, must win an absolute majority of the vote.
If he does not get at least 50% plus one of the votes, he will face a runoff.
This article is adapted from its English version.
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