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Zimbabwe’s opposition alleges ‘gigantic fraud’ in vote that extends the ZANU-PF party’s 43-year rule
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe’s main opposition leader on Sunday alleged “blatant and gigantic fraud” in the country’s election after President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner and international observers reported an atmosphere of intimidation against voters.
The returns from the latest troubled vote in the southern African nation were announced Saturday night, two days earlier than expected. Opposition leader Nelson Chamisa’s Citizens Coalition for Change party said it would challenge the results as “hastily assembled without proper verification.”
“They stole your voice and vote but never your hope,” Chamisa wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, in his first public reaction to the election’s announced outcome. “It’s a blatant and gigantic fraud.”
People in the country of 15 million were bound to view the results with suspicion but Mnangagwa, 80, dismissed allegations of vote fraud.
“I did not conduct these elections. I think those who feel the race was not run properly know where to go to complain. I am so happy,” he said at a news conference Sunday, adding that the elections were run “transparently, fairly in broad daylight.”
Mnangagwa was reelected for a second and final five-year term with 52.6% of the vote, according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. Chamisa, 45, who also lost to Mnangagwa in a very close and disputed election five years ago, won 44% of the vote this time, the commission said.
International election observers have noted problems with the election, held Wednesday and Thursday, citing an atmosphere of intimidation against Chamisa’s supporters. In the buildup to the vote, international rights groups reported a crackdown on opposition to Mnangagwa and the long-ruling ZANU-PF party.
“The vote will be challenged, it was fraught with unprecedented illegality,” Chamisa said later Sunday in the capital, Harare. he described the results as “doctored” and “criminal.”
The rights groups said the party, which according to the electoral commission retained its parliamentary majority, had used the police and courts to harass and intimidate opposition officials and supporters.
Before the election, Chamisa alleged in an interview with The Associated Press that his party’s rallies had been broken up by police and his supporters had often been intimidated and threatened with violence.
The actual election was also problematic and voting was extended into an extra day Thursday because of a shortage of ballot papers, especially in the capital and other urban areas that are opposition strongholds. People slept at polling stations to make sure they were able to vote.
Mnangagwa’s victory meant ZANU-PF retained the governmental leadership it has held for all 43 years of Zimbabwe’s history since the nation was re-named following independence from white minority rule in 1980.
“This is a very happy occasion indeed,” said Ziyambi Ziyambi, an election agent for Mnangagwa and a Cabinet minister. “Zimbabweans have shown confidence in our president and ZANU-PF.”
Zimbabwe has a history of disputed and sometimes violent elections in the more than four decades of ZANU-PF rule, most notably under autocratic former president Robert Mugabe, who was leader for 37 years and oversaw a period of economic collapse that gained Zimbabwe international notoriety.
Mugabe’s regime also resulted in the United States and the European Union applying sanctions on Zimbabwe for alleged human rights abuses. Those sanctions are largely still in place.
Mugabe was removed from power in a military-led coup in 2017 and replaced with Mnangagwa, his former vice president. The coup was widely popular and celebrated as a new dawn, but while Mnangagwa promised an era of freedom and prosperity, critics have alleged the former guerrilla fighter nicknamed “the crocodile” has become as repressive as his predecessor.
Zimbabwe has had just those two leaders in more than four decades of independence.
The 2023 election results were released around 11.30 p.m. Saturday night at the official results center in Harare, taking many by surprise. They came just 48 hours after polls closed in the delayed elections, when election officials had planned to announce the results five days after voting ended.
“We reject any results hastily assembled without proper verification,” Promise Mkwananzi, a spokesperson for Chamisa’s CCC party, said minutes after the results were announced. “We will advise citizens on the next steps as the situation develops.”
While the outcome likely will be closely scrutinized, Chamisa’s party didn’t immediately announce if it would challenge them through the courts. Chamisa challenged his 2018 election loss to Mnangagwa, but that was rejected by the Constitutional Court.
The election observers said they had specific concerns in this vote over a ruling party affiliate organization called Forever Associates of Zimbabwe that they said set up tables at polling stations and took details of people walking into voting booths. The head of the African Union observer mission, former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, said the FAZ activities should be declared “criminal offenses.”
More than 40 local vote monitors also were arrested on allegations of subversion that government critics said were trumped-up charges.
Ahead of Saturday’s announcement of the results, dozens of armed police with water cannons guarded the national results center. It was the scene of deadly violence following the election five years ago, when soldiers killed six people during protests.
At the United Nations, a spokeswoman for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “concerned about the arrest of observers, reports of voter intimidation, threats of violence, harassment and coercion.”
But Guterres also urges all factions “to reject any and all forms of violence, threats of violence, or incitement to violence, and to ensure that human rights and the rule of law are fully respected,” said the statement from spokeswoman Florencia Soto Niño.
There was no sign of unrest early Sunday. Streets in Harare that would normally be bustling with late-night vendors were empty soon after the announcement Saturday night as people were digesting the results and another ZANU-PF victory, which would take the party’s rule to nearly half a century.
© Associated Press
Two Malaysian navy helicopters collided in mid-air as they flew in formation during a rehearsal for a military parade, killing all 10 crew on board.
One of the aircraft clipped the rotor of the other before the two crashed into the ground, footage published on local media showed.
The incident took place at 09:30 local time (02:30 BST) in the Malaysian town of Lumut, which is home to a Royal Malaysian Navy base.
There are no known survivors.
Perak Fire and Rescue DepartmentRescue personnel removing debris from the helicopter
“All victims were confirmed dead on site and the remains were sent to the [Lumut] Military Hospital for identification,” said the Royal Malaysian Navy.
It added that it would form a committee to investigate the cause of the incident.
One of the helicopters, a HOM M503-3 with seven people on board, is believed to have crashed onto a running track.
The other, a Fennec M502-6 carrying the other three victims, crashed into a swimming pool nearby.
The state’s fire and rescue department said it was alerted to the incident at 09:50 local time (01:50 GMT).
Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “the nation mourns the heart-wrenching and soul-wrenching tragedy”.
“Condolences to all the families of the victims and prayers for strength to face this calamity,” he said.
In March, a Malaysian coast guard helicopter crashed into the sea off Malaysia’s Angsa Island during a training flight.
The pilot, co-pilot and two passengers on board were found and rescued by fishermen.
© BBC News
Authorities and communities across the United Arab Emirates were clearing debris on Wednesday after a torrential downpour killed at least one person and caused damage to homes and businesses.
The UAE witnessed a record rainfall with 254 mm falling in Al Ain on Tuesday in less than 24 hours, according to the national meteorology centre. That was the most since records began in 1949, before the country was established in 1971.
Although heavy rains had eased by late Tuesday, disruptions were continuing on Wednesday with Emirates airline suspending check-in for passengers departing Dubai airport until midnight.
Dubai International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, said it was facing significant disruptions after the heavy rains delayed or diverted flights and had impacted flight crews.
Passengers departing Dubai were advised against heading to the airport and to check their flight status with their airline.
“We are working hard to recover operations as quickly as possible in very challenging conditions,” the airport wrote on X.
Emirates said passengers who were already in transit would continue to be processed but warned that delays to departures and arrivals should be expected. The Dubai airport website showed hours-long delays for some arrival and departure flights.
Local media reported that an elderly Emirati man in his 70s died on Tuesday morning when his vehicle was caught in flash floods in the Ras Al Khaimah emirate, in the country’s north.
In neighbouring Oman, 19 people died, including school children after three consecutive days of heavy rain, according to Omani media, which published images of flooded communities.
The Times of Oman reported that more rain was expected on Wednesday. In Dubai, the skies were clear but in some areas the roads were quiet after the government ordered its employees and all schools to work remotely for a second consecutive day.
UAE media and social media posts showed significant damage from the torrential downpour in some parts of the country, including collapsed roads and homes inundated by water.
Social media posts on Tuesday showed flooded roads and car parks with some vehicles completely submerged. Sheikh Zayed Road, a 12-lane highway through Dubai, was partially flooded, leaving people stuck in a kilometres-long traffic jam for hours.
© Reuters
Rescue efforts are taking place in Taiwan after a powerful earthquake struck off its east coast on Wednesday, killing at least four people.
The 7.4 magnitude quake caused multiple buildings to collapse in Hualien, the city closest to the epicentre.
The strongest tremor to hit the island in 25 years was also felt as far as Taiwan’s mountainous interior, which was rocked by huge landslides.
In the capital Taipei, footage showed buildings shaking violently.
“The earthquake is close to land and it’s shallow. It’s felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands… It’s the strongest in 25 years,” said Wu Chien Fu, the director of Taipei’s Seismology Centre.
The National Fire Agency said three have died at a trail around Taroko National Park, named after a landmark gorge just outside Hualien.
More than 50 people have been injured, with some trapped in buildings and tunnels around the city, the agency added.
Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC said it has evacuated some of its factories in Hsinchu and southern Taiwan for its staff’s safety, but it added that its safety systems are operating normally. TSMC is a major producer of semiconductors for tech firms including Apple and Nvidia.
Apple supplier Foxconn did not immediately respond to BBC’s request for comment.
Earlier, the earthquake set off tsunami warnings on the island and its neighbouring countries.
TVBSA partially collapsed building in Hualien city
In Taipei, footage on local media outlets show collapsed residential buildings and people being evacuated from their homes and schools. The impact of the earthquake has also smashed vehicles and thrown items inside stores in disarray, according to clips aired by local broadcaster TVBS.
Power cuts and internet outages have been reported across the island, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks.
Reuters: The earthquake has unleashed landslides in Taiwan’s very mountainous interior
Wednesday’s earthquake hit at 07:58 local time (23:58 GMT) at a depth of 15.5km and has set off at least nine aftershocks at magnitude 4 or larger. The earthquake’s epicentre is located about 18km (11 miles) south of Hualien, according to the US Geological Survey.
Hualien is located on Taiwan’s east coast, in a sprawling, mountainous region. Cities in the area are sparsely populated. With major roads and rail lines connecting Hualien to the rest of Taiwan now down, rescue teams will likely have to enter the area by air.
In September 1999, a 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan, killing 2,400 people and destroying 5,000 buildings.
Reuters: Inside an apartment building in New Taipei City
In neighbouring Japan, authorities had earlier warned that tsunami waves of up to 3m were expected to reach large areas of its southwestern coast.
The Japan Meteorological Agency agency later downgraded the warning, but has asked residents to remain “vigilant for aftershocks with similar intensity” for about a week.
The Philippines’ seismology agency also issued a tsunami warning shortly after the quake hit, urging residents to evacuate to higher ground – which it later cancelled.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in an update about two hours after the quake hit that the tsunami threat “has now passed”.
Chinese state media said tremors were felt in parts of China’s south-eastern Fujian province.
© BBC News
The father of a Michigan school gunman who killed four students has been convicted of manslaughter.
The trial heard that James Crumbley, 47, had ignored his 15-year-old son’s mental health needs, buying him the handgun he used in the November 2021 attack.
The jury deliberated for just over a day before coming to the verdict.
Jennifer Crumbley, his wife, is due to be sentenced next month after being convicted on the same charges.
James Crumbley was in court on Thursday evening for the verdict and appeared to show little reaction as it was read out.
The case against the Crumbleys marks the first time parents have been charged with manslaughter over their child’s role in a shooting in the US.
Their son, Ethan, killed fellow students Tate Myre, 16; Hana St Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Justin Shilling, 17. Seven people were also injured in the shooting.
He is serving a sentence of life in prison without parole.
Steve and Ai St Juliana lost their 14-year-old daughter Hana, who they said was kind and always checked in on others
Steve St Juliana, Hana’s father, said on Thursday evening that the prosecution of the Crumbleys was “just the beginning steps” when it came to dealing with gun violence in the US.
“Our children are dying on a daily basis in mass murders and we do very little about this,” he added.
“We can put people on the Moon, we can build skyscrapers, huge monuments like the Hoover Dam and we can’t keep our kids safe in schools.”
In February he told the BBC that “every day without [Hana] is a struggle”.
“She was always laughing, always causing people to laugh,” he recalled.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald, speaking at a press conference with parents of the four victims, said the verdict “does not bring back their children but it does mark a moment of accountability”.
“These parents [the Crumbleys] could have prevented this tragedy with just the smallest of efforts,” she said.
Earlier this week in her closing arguments to the jury of six men and six women, Ms McDonald called the attack at the Oxford High School “preventable and foreseeable”.
She added that James Crumbley’s actions had been “rare and egregious”.
He did not take even the slightest measures to ensure his son was not a threat after giving him a semi-automatic pistol as a gift, said the prosecutor.
Prosecutors also said the Crumbleys had not done enough to address their son’s declining mental health.
On the morning of the shooting, the two parents cut short a school meeting about a disturbing drawing their son had made to go to work and had declined to take him home.
School officials sent him back to class without checking his backpack, which contained a gun.
When Crumbley heard about the shooting, he rushed home from his job as a DoorDash delivery driver, looking for the weapon, the trial heard.
Crumbley’s defence lawyer, Mariell Lehman, argued that “James had no idea that his son was having a hard time”.
Crumbley did not testify, unlike his wife, who took the stand during her trial and tried to blame her husband.
Jennifer Crumbley and her husband bought the 9mm Sig Sauer pistol their son used just days before the shooting.
Prosecutors said the Crumbleys had also failed to ensure the weapon was safely stored.
“Parents and gun owners have a responsibility to prevent children from accessing deadly weapons,” said Nick Suplina, with the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, in a statement, adding the verdict “further underscores this critical duty of responsible gun ownership”.
The Crumbleys were charged by police within days of the killings.
Initially, the parents were supposed to be tried together but in November sought separate trials.
Both are scheduled to be sentenced on 9 April. A count of manslaughter carries a penalty of up to 15 years.
© BBC News
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