At least 4 People Killed During Protests in Zimbabwe After Elections – Reports

Incumbent Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday put the blame for violence which hit the country in the anticipation of the presidential election’s results on the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), local media reported.

According to The Herald newspaper, Mnangagwa said that the MDC and its leadership should be held accountable for victims and any loss of property resulting from the violence.

Meanwhile, at least 4 people were killed during violent protests in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare after the presidential and parliamentary elections held in the country, local media reported on Wednesday.

Just got this video from Harare pic.twitter.com/ktViG1ndwX

— KhayelihleKhumalo (@KhayaJames) 1 августа 2018 г.

Harare has been engulfed in violent protests following the elections in the country. The country’s authorities sent military vehicles to the city, and the shots were heard in the capital. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protesters.

Bloody scenes on the streets of Harare after soldiers fired live ammunition during opposition protests #Zimbabwe

Follow our live updates here: https://t.co/NT9WUtUr3a pic.twitter.com/34kwiVgouk

— News24 (@News24) 1 августа 2018 г.

According to the SABC News broadcaster, the four victims of the clashes have not been identified yet. Police, who are investigating deaths of the protesters, expressed condolences to families of the victims.

Just received this video from Harare #ZimElection2018 pic.twitter.com/vfXVyooP1Z

— Sherwin Bryce-Pease (@sherwiebp) 1 августа 2018 г.

Zimbabwe's opposition party People First (ZimFirst) is sure that whoever of the candidates wins the presidential vote will usher in change and distance himself from the era of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, Maxwell Shumba, the ZimFirst leader, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Presidential and parliamentary elections in Zimbabwe took place on Monday for the first time since Mugabe was removed from power in November 2017. Nelson Chamisa from Zimbabwe's main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party claimed victory in the presidential bid. However, final results have not yet been revealed.

"[The changes after the vote will be] huge. [The elections] present a clear break from the ruinous Mugabe era. I will support the new president fully and assist in the rebuilding of our country," Shumba said, answering a question on what changes he believed the elections would bring to the people of Zimbabwe.

Shumba added that the ZimFirst party was biding its time until the next elections in 2023 to manifest its full potential, and noted that the party had faced problems with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) over submitting Shumba’s candidacy for the presidential ballot.

The preliminary results released by the ZEC, mandated to run the elections in the country, showed that the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) had cemented an absolute majority of 122 of the 210 National Assembly seats, compared to 53 seats secured by the MDC Alliance and two for minor parties.

Chamisa's main contender in the presidential bid is incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa from the ZANU-PF, who was a vice president under Mugabe.