Africa News
#Zim2018Elections: Queues develop as polling booths open─── 08:07 Mon, 30 Jul 2018
Just more than 10,000 polling booths opened Monday around Zimbabwe where voting for a new president began at 07:00.
Voting appears to have got off to a smooth start, with some 71,000 policemen deployed to polling stations. International observers have also fanned out across the country to witness Zimbabwe's historic elections in which long-time ruler Robert Mugabe, 94, is not on the ballot. The ballot has 23 hopefuls.
The frontrunners are ZANU PF and incumbent president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who Mugabe at the weekend said came to power through a coup, and MDC Alliance leader 40-year-old Nelson Chamisa.
On Sunday, Mugabe irked Mnangagwa with his comments suggesting the present regime was illegal and voting for Chamisa would return Zimbabwe to constitutionality. The 94-year-old deposed president said he would not vote for his ZANU PF party, which is now led by Mnangagwa.
The polls close at 19:00.
African News Agency (ANA)
