Home Global Ties Elections in Zimbabwe in August: Election fever pitches up

Elections in Zimbabwe in August: Election fever pitches up

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The European Union (EU) has said it will be the first to send an observer team to the southern African country ahead of the polls. Ambassador of the EU to Zimbabwe Jobst von Kirchmann and Zimbabwe’s acting Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Amon Murwirasigned a memorandum of understanding recently ahead of the elections

Zimbabwe is gearing up for its general elections scheduled for August 23. The European Union (EU) has said it will be the first to send an observer team to the southern African country ahead of the polls. Ambassador of the EU to Zimbabwe Jobst von Kirchmann and Zimbabwe’s acting Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Amon Murwirasigned a memorandum of understanding recently ahead of the elections.

The EU team will be followed by 46 long-term observers who will arrive at the end of July and 44 short-term ones who will be in the country just before election day. President Emmerson Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF party is seeking what would be the 80-year-old’s final five-year term. He is expected to be closely challenged by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, whom he narrowly beat in a disputed election in 2018.

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If no presidential candidate wins a clear majority in the first round, a runoff will be held on Oct. 2. Analysts observe that the elections will be a keenly fought one. The elections are keenly watched by the international community. President Emmerson Mnangagwa came to power in a bloodless coup on his predecessor Robert Mugabe, who ruled the country for a long with an iron fist. There were several corruption charges against him.  Emmerson Mnangagwa came into power promising a liberal and corruption-free administration. The election will be a referendum on his rule.