Zimbabwe is preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections, set for 23 August, as the nation continues to grapple with a severe economic crisis, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared on Wednesday.
Mnangagwa, who came into power in 2018, will be running for his second term in office. His ascension to presidency followed the military overthrow of Robert Mugabe in 2017.
Facing Mnangagwa in the electoral race is Nelson Chamisa, a 45-year-old lawyer and pastor. Chamisa heads the newly established Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), offering a significant challenge to Mnangagwa, who is 80 years old.
The Zanu-PF party, currently in power and being accused by the opposition of political repression, has dominated Zimbabwe’s political landscape since the country’s independence in 1980.
On Tuesday, Chamisa criticised President Mnangagwa for being non-specific about the election dates.
With these impending elections, Zimbabwe is set to witness a crucial face-off between the established political order and a burgeoning opposition, all within the context of an ongoing economic turmoil.
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