Splintered opposition has all but paved Emmerson Mnangagwa’s path to Zimbabwe’s presidency
While a record 23 candidates shows how the electoral space has opened after decades of oppression, it also means the end of Zanu-PF rule is unlikely
Harare — Zimbabwe’s divided opposition could bolster the long-ruling Zanu-PF’s chances of victory after failing to forge a solid coalition for the country’s first elections without Robert Mugabe. Twenty-three candidates — the highest number in the country’s election history — are in the running for the presidential race after haggling over the allocation of parliamentary seats, scuttling a plan by the opposition to form a united front in general elections due on July 30. But the real battle is seen to be between Zanu-PF and the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the party that has posed the most formidable challenge to Zanu-PF’s grip on power. The main presidential candidates are Zanu-PF’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded Mugabe after a brief military takeover last November; and Nelson Chamisa, who took over as leader of the MDC following the death of opposition veteran Morgan Tsvangirai in February. "The unprecedented numbers of aspiring candidates is an indicat...
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