Zimbabweans vote on Wednesday in the second elections since a military coup in 2017 ousted strongman Robert Mugabe, who has led the country since independence in 1980.
Some key elements of the poll:
– 6.6 million registered voters, out of a total population of over 15 million, will directly elect their president, 210 members of parliament and 1,970 local elected representatives.
– An absolute majority must elect the president. A second round is organized if none of the candidates obtains 50% of the votes.
– Parliamentarians and local councillors need only obtain a simple majority.
– Ten men and one woman are running for president, and over 600 for parliament.
– Each presidential candidate has paid $20,000 to appear on the ballot, while the parliamentary aspirants have paid $1,000 each.
– Voters will cast their ballots at more than 12,300 polling stations open from seven o’clock (05:00 GMT) until 19:00 (17:00 GMT).
– With the exception of diplomats and their families, millions of Zimbabweans living and working abroad cannot vote unless they are physically in the country.
– Final results are due to be published within five days of the poll.
(Africanews with AFP)
