Voting Begins for Zimbabwe Elections

Harare: Zimbabweans began voting on Monday in the African nation’s first presidential poll since the former head of state, Robert Mugabe, resigned last November. Voting for the presidential, legislative and municipal elections in Zimbabwe began at 7 a.m. and soon queues had formed in front of many polling stations in the capital here and other parts of the country, Efe news agency reported.

The main contenders in the presidential poll are incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa of the ruling Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front, and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who leads the opposition coalition Movement for Democratic Change - Tsvangirai. Mnangagwa, 75, has a narrow advantage over his 40-year-old rival. The latest opinion polls have shown a three-percentage-point lead for Mnangagwa over Chamisa. On Monday, Mugabe who first came to power after independence in 1980 and is the country’s founding President said he would not vote for his successor. Mugabe was ousted in a coup in 2017 after almost four decades in power. Voters have until 7 p.m. to vote at 10,985 polling stations. (IANS)