NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 21 – An exit poll in the upcoming Zimbabwean election has projected a landslide win by incumbent president Emmerson Mnangagwa at 68 percent.
In the election set for August 23, Mnangagwa, who is vying in a ZANU-PF ticket, is likely to be followed by Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) who served as MP for Kuwadzana East in Harare.
The poll by the Pan African Forum shows that Chamisa will most likely get 30 percent while other candidates will get 1 percent each.
“Emmerson Mnangagwa is the most preferred candidate to be the president of Zimbabwe,” the poll released on Monday shows.
The poll further shows that Mnangagwa has more female supporters at 70 percent, while his main challenger Chamisa enjoys 26 percent support from female voters.
For male voters, Mnangagwa enjoys the support of 59 percent ahead of Chamisa’s 26 percent.
The research was conducted between August 1 and 15th in ten provinces of Zimbabwe with a total sample of 3,110 potential voters distributed proportionately.
A +/-2 percent margin of error is recorded in the study at 95 percent confidence level.
Saturday was the last day of campaigning in the country that aims to be a middle-income economy by 2030.
“We need more time for us to build our motherland. Zimbabwe is ready to accelerate the implementation of socio-economic development for our motherland. We are determined to lift more and more of our people out of poverty into higher quality of life no matter where they live,” Mnangagwa said Saturday as he wrapped his campaigns, adding, “A vote for ZANU-PF confirms us all as the architects and masters of our destiny.”
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Wednesday it is ready to conduct the Aug. 23 general elections and encouraged all registered voters to cast their ballots.
In a briefing to election observers, ZEC Chairperson Priscilla Chigumba said the election management body is geared to deliver a free, fair and credible voting process.
“The ZEC has recruited and trained about 150,000 election officers for our harmonious elections and has procured all essential election materials,” the chairperson said.
There will be 12,374 polling stations on election day, Chigumba said, adding that a total of 6.6 million people have registered to vote, constituting 83 percent of the eligible population.
“I would like to inform you that the Commission is ready to conduct the 2023 elections,” she said.
Speaking at the same meeting, Zimbabwe Republic Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga said the police have implemented measures to ensure that the elections are peaceful.
“As the police, we want to assure all invited and accredited observer missions that their safety during their stay in the country is guaranteed,” Matanga said.
On Aug. 23, Zimbabweans will vote to choose a president, parliamentarians and local government representatives. There are 11 presidential candidates.
The results of the presidential election are announced within five days after voting.
[Additional reporting by Xuinhua]
