Intimidation and vote-buying, according to independent election monitors, marred the just concluded Zimbabwe by-elections.
According to the polls, Nelson Chamisa’s Citizens Coalition for Change, CCC, is on track to win the majority of the 28 parliamentary seats and more than 100 municipal seats up for grabs.
Three-quarters of the by-elections were held as a result of a schism in the major opposition, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).
While the opposition is celebrating its victories, the ruling Zanu-PF party appears to have gained significant gains, particularly in metropolitan areas.
It was able to wrest a number of seats from the opposition in parliament and the council.
Independent observer organisations like the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, on the other hand, said that certain candidates’ actions amounted to vote buying, including the distribution of food to voters.
While the voting day was mainly uneventful, it was claimed that high voter turnout at several remote polling locations indicated community coercion.
In various polling stations, the group noticed a large number of persons who required assistance to vote.
The final results are scheduled to be announced on Monday.