Traffic in Zimbabwean capital at standstill amid protest against election results

01 August 2018 - 16:19 By Mzilikazi Wa Afrika
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Supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) of Nelson Chamisa react as they block a street in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018.
Supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) of Nelson Chamisa react as they block a street in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018.
Image: REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Traffic came to a standstill in the Zimbabwean capital Harare as MDC supporters barricaded most roads in the CBD as part of their protest against the elections results.

“I was in the middle of a business meeting in the centre when some of these hooligans disrupted us‚” one driver said.

“These are not supporters of a political party but hooligans. Some of these kids are too young to be voters‚” he added.

MDC supporters are blaming the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission for delaying the announcement of the presidential results and declaring their leader‚ Nelson Chamisa‚ as the winner.

“They are busy rigging the results. You can’t announce elections results in dribs and drabs. It is obvious‚ even a blind man can see what they are doing‚” Lovemore Nyathi‚ an MDC supporter‚ said.

An independent elections observer who asked not to be named also blamed the ZEC for being a catalyst in the mayhem.

“ZEC should have released the results all at once instead of releasing them bit by bit. It creates a serious cloud of suspicion even when there is nothing sinister.”

Army trucks with armed soldiers were seen driving towards the city.

There were palls of dark smoke in three different parts of the city and it isn’t known whether they were burning tyres or buildings.

“The elections have been peaceful and now they are going to spoil it‚” said another observer.


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