Zimbabwe's two main presidential rivals claim to be the first

The two main candidates in the election The presidential election in Zimbabwe, the president Emmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, said Tuesday that they won the elections the day before, the first elections since the fall of Robert Mugabe after four decades of power.

The presidential, legislative and municipal elections, in which the Zanu-PF candidate positions, the party in power since 1980 and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), have not been announced yet have not been announced. .

The young leader of the MDC claimed his victory by saying that he "won right away".

"We have done very well," he said on Twitter, after reviewing "the majority of the 10,000 election copleggios. "We are ready to form a government."

Quickly Mnangagwa, head of Zanu-PF and Mugaba's former right-hand man, responded by baduming that he was the one who imposed himself.

"The information obtained by my representatives in the field is extremely positive," he said. "I patiently wait for the results, according to the Constitution," he added on Twitter, boosting the high turnout.

The electoral authorities estimated that the turnout was 75% one hour before polls closed on Monday. 23 candidates competed in the elections.

In an electoral district of the capital, Harare, the authorities counted the votes late into the night, lit by gas lamps and candles.

"In our opinion, a high turnout is an indicator of the strength of civic education and publicity," said Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEN) President Prisciliana Chirumba, when 39, a press conference in Harare. 19659005] EU observers, previously banned, were present for the first time in years and reported strong participation, but cautioned against any "deficiencies" in the process.

"There were deficiencies that will have to be reviewed, we still do not know if there is a trend or if it was a bad organization in some areas", said Melar Bron, chief of the EU's observers to AFP. (EU) The mission will publish a report on Wednesday.

– Results of August 4 –

With an electoral universe of 5.6 million registered voters, the results of the elections, presidential, parliamentary and local elections, will be published on August 4.

If no presidential candidate reaches 50%, a second round is scheduled on September 8th.

Mugabe, 94, who was deposed by the army in November, voted in Harare, accompanied by his wife, Grace. On Sunday, he held a surprise press conference in his mansion, where he called to vote against his party, ZANU-PAF.

Mnangagwa, who voted in his constituency in central Zimbabwe, said Mugabe had the right to express himself in the country's new "democratic space."

75-year-old Mugabe's successor promised change and is the favorite, enjoying the tacit support of the military, the loyalty of the state press and the control of government resources of his party. "Zimbabwe has had a beautiful expression of freedom and democracy, and for millions of people we have voted in a spirit of tolerance, mutual respect and peace," Mnangagwa writes on Twitter. after the closing of the polls.

His rival, the LDC candidate is a 40-year-old lawyer and pastor who has recorded strong support in polls, with a commitment to capturing youth voting.

Voting proceeded mostly without incident, despite warnings from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, who warned of intimidation and threats during the campaign.

The new government will face the task of fighting endemic unemployment and a crumbling economy, with a pilgrimage that has scared away investors. "Although investors remain skeptical as to whether Mugabe's former right-hand man has turned the page, Mnangagwa's seductive offensive to Western governments and corporations has at least granted him a lifesaver , he said in a statement, notes Charles Lauree, badyst at Verisk Maplecrodt