CCC claims lead in polls, citing unofficial vote tally

Harare (New Ziana) – The opposition Citizens for Coalition Change (CCC) party claimed on Thursday that it was heading for victory in Wednesday’s general elections, citing its own unofficial tally of the results of the vote.

Zimbabweans went to the polls on Wednesday to elect a new president, and parliamentary and local government representatives to run state affairs for the next five years.

CCC spokesman, Promise Mkwananzi told a press conference that unofficial results in the party’s hands showed it leading in all three segments of the poll – presidential, parliamentary and local government.

“So far, information we have is that we are leading in the presidential election comfortably, and we are doing well in the parliamentary elections,” he said.

“We expect this trend to continue because the people of Zimbabwe have decided they want change. President (CCC leader Nelson) Chamisa is ready and geared to form a government for everyone.”

In Zimbabwe, it is a crime to announce unofficial election results, and on Wednesday several people were arrested by police for doing so.

Vote counting was underway in most areas of the country after Wednesday’s vote, and the country’s electoral body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, is expected to announce official results within five days.

In some areas, voting was extended to Thursday due to logistical glitches experienced on polling day.

But Mkwananzi could neither give figures nor substantiate his claims of the CCC’s victory in the election, widely regarded as one of the most peaceful at campaign and voting stage.

In spite of the victory claims, he said the party was not happy with the way the electoral body had conducted the poll, citing a list of purported shortcomings, including alleged failure to furnish the CCC with the voters’ roll ahead of the election.

No official announcement of the presidential and parliamentary election results had been made by Thursday afternoon, and all such being circulated on social media, or claimed by political parties, are unofficial and illegal.

Six million people were registered to vote in the election.

New Ziana