Staff Writer
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged Zimbabwe’s opposition leader – Nelson Chamisa to follow proper channels when challenging the recent election results.
Chamisa has rejected Saturday’s election results where the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission declared ZANU-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa victorious.
The opposition leader said the results are fraught with fraud, voter intimidation and corruption – while election observers from the Southern African Development Community region also released a preliminary report stating the elections fell short of the required standards to be deemed free and fair.
Chamisa further dubbed Mnangagwa’s victory as a “sham”.
Speaking on the sidelines of the presidential young men and boys indaba in Soweto on Tuesday, Ramaphosa said until the results are overturned, the South African government recognises Mnangagwa as Zimbabwe’s democratically elected president.
“Zimbabwe has made a declaration and it’s on that basis that we have issued our congratulatory message. So, there rest of other things still need to be processed, no doubt, and everybody including the governmental of Zimbabwe accepts that. So, let’s wait until everything is processed,” he said.
The 2023 Zimbabwe elections were marred by legal intervention, delays, shortage of ballot papers in some regions.
“There is going to be change in Zimbabawe whether ZANU-PF people want it or not. It’s not going to be easy but there shall be change,” said Chamisa following the results.