Zimbabwe: Chamisa claims victory after disputing election

Zimbabwe opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has claimed victory in the country's presidential election on Sunday after rejecting the official outcome.

Official election results on Saturday said strongman President Emmerson Mnangagwa was reelected with 52.6% of the vote, while Chamisa received 44% of the vote.

On Sunday, Chamisa called these results "a blatant and gigantic fraud" on social media before declaring victory at a press conference in Harare.

"We have won this election," said Chamisa, who leads the Citizens Coalition for Change.

"We are the leaders. We are even surprised why Mnangagwa has been declared a leader."

Mnangagwa defends contested victory

Earlier on Sunday, Mnangagwa dismissed allegations of fraud from the opposition.

"I competed with them and I am happy that I have won the race," he said at his official residence in Harare.

"Those who feel the race was not run properly should know where to go to."

During the vote, authorities arrested 41 election monitors from Zimbabwean organizations and confiscated their computers.

Election observers from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as the Commonwealth and the European Union, said the campaign was marred by banned opposition rallies, biased state media coverage, voter registration issues, and intimidation.

Voters in opposition strongholds also experienced large delays at polling stations that caused voting to be extended for a second day in some wards.

But Mnangagwa, whose ZANU-PF party has held power for 43 years, claimed on Sunday that Zimbabwe is a "mature democracy" despite these reports.

zc/dj (AFP, AP)