Gift Siziba, deputy spokesperson of Zimbabwe's opposition party Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), speaks to the media in Harare, Zimbabwe, Aug. 29, 2023. The CCC party on Tuesday rejected President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's win in the Aug. 23-24 election and called for a fresh election. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)
HARARE, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) party on Tuesday rejected President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's win in the Aug. 23-24 election and called for a fresh election.
"We believe without doubt that the election on the 23rd of August 2023 does not reflect the true will of the Zimbabwean people. The election was flawed," Gift Siziba, deputy spokesperson of the CCC, told the media in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, Tuesday.
According to results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Saturday, Mnangagwa garnered 52.6 percent of the total votes cast, beating his main challenger CCC leader Nelson Chamisa, who got 44 percent of the votes.
Siziba said the electoral process was marred by irregularities, and the country should prepare for fresh elections supervised by international bodies including the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU).
"This election failed by all standards to meet the requirements of the law of the country, which is the electoral act, and the Zimbabwean Constitution read together," he said.
Siziba, however, did not indicate if CCC will take the legal route to challenge the election in courts.
Speaking to the media on Sunday at state house in his first public address after the election, Mnangagwa said the election was transparent.
"I think those who feel the race was not run properly should know where to go to complain. I am so happy that the race was run peacefully, transparently and fairly, in broad daylight," said Mnangagwa.
In addition, he said there was a huge turnout by Zimbabweans.
"I am sure that very few people in this country will say that the elections were marred by any violence because there was no violence at all, and I think this is what we should as Zimbabweans cherish and continue to maintain. This shows how mature our democracy is," he added.
Mnangagwa commended Zimbabweans for maintaining peace during the election period. ■
Gift Siziba, deputy spokesperson of Zimbabwe's opposition party Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC), speaks to the media in Harare, Zimbabwe, Aug. 29, 2023. The CCC party on Tuesday rejected President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa's win in the Aug. 23-24 election and called for a fresh election. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)