Zimbabwe’s constitutional court confirmed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s disputed July 30 election victory on Friday, dismissing an opposition challenge that had held up his inauguration.
In a unanimous ruling of the nine judges of the country’s top court, chief justice Luke Malaba said opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa had failed to prove allegations of fraud during the presidential vote.
“Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa is duly declared the winner of the presidential elections held on July 30 2018,” Malaba said in his ruling.
Mnangagwa now faces the challenge of persuading the international community that the army crackdown and lapses in the election process will not derail his promise of reforms needed to fix the economy.
Police blocked roads around the court. Vehicles carrying water cannon reappeared on streets near the courthouse while riot police patrolled the city centre in groups.