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Zimbabwe election: Mnangagwa and Chamisa both upbeat | Zimbabwe election: Mnangagwa and Chamisa both upbeat |
(35 minutes later) | |
Zimbabwe is awaiting the results of its landmark elections, with both frontrunners saying they are confident. | Zimbabwe is awaiting the results of its landmark elections, with both frontrunners saying they are confident. |
President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he had received "extremely positive" information but opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said his party was "winning resoundingly". | President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he had received "extremely positive" information but opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said his party was "winning resoundingly". |
Zimbabwe is voting for both a new president and parliament. | Zimbabwe is voting for both a new president and parliament. |
Monday's vote - the first since long-serving ruler Robert Mugabe was ousted - attracted a high turnout of 75%. | Monday's vote - the first since long-serving ruler Robert Mugabe was ousted - attracted a high turnout of 75%. |
The youth vote is expected to be key - with almost half of Zimbabwe's 5.6 million registered voters under the age of 35. | The youth vote is expected to be key - with almost half of Zimbabwe's 5.6 million registered voters under the age of 35. |
This election is also the first to allow European Union and US monitors in more than a decade. | This election is also the first to allow European Union and US monitors in more than a decade. |
Observers say the race between Mr Mnangagwa's Zanu-PF party, and Mr Chamisa's MDC Alliance, is extremely tight. Both men are among 23 candidates running for president. | |
They both hinted at victory on Tuesday, but said they were waiting for the electoral commission to announce official results, which are due by Saturday at the latest. | They both hinted at victory on Tuesday, but said they were waiting for the electoral commission to announce official results, which are due by Saturday at the latest. |
They are running for the presidency for the first time, and need more than 50% of the vote to win outright. | They are running for the presidency for the first time, and need more than 50% of the vote to win outright. |
Otherwise, a run-off election will be held on 8 September. | Otherwise, a run-off election will be held on 8 September. |
Who are the main presidential rivals? | Who are the main presidential rivals? |
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zanu-PF | Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zanu-PF |
The 'crocodile' who snapped back | The 'crocodile' who snapped back |
Nelson Chamisa, MDC Alliance | Nelson Chamisa, MDC Alliance |
The crusader taking on Zimbabwe's 'crocodile' | The crusader taking on Zimbabwe's 'crocodile' |
What are foreign observers saying? | What are foreign observers saying? |
European Union chief observer Elmar Brok said it was too soon to make a judgement but voting had been "very smooth" in some areas and "totally disorganised" in other areas, Reuters news agency quotes him as saying. | |
"There are shortcomings that we have to check. We don't know yet whether it was a pattern or whether it was a question of bad organisation in certain polling stations," Mr Brok told the AFP new agency. | |
As well as worries about the voters' roll, the opposition has expressed concern over the security of ballot papers and voter intimidation in mainly rural areas. | As well as worries about the voters' roll, the opposition has expressed concern over the security of ballot papers and voter intimidation in mainly rural areas. |
Liberia's former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was monitoring the poll on behalf of the US-based National Democratic Institute, told the BBC that Monday's long queues showed Zimbabweans were enthusiastic about voting, without any kind of repression. | Liberia's former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who was monitoring the poll on behalf of the US-based National Democratic Institute, told the BBC that Monday's long queues showed Zimbabweans were enthusiastic about voting, without any kind of repression. |
"I think this is an exciting moment for Zimbabweans to change the course of their country through their votes," she told the BBC. | "I think this is an exciting moment for Zimbabweans to change the course of their country through their votes," she told the BBC. |