![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.kumasionlinegh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Chamisa.jpg\")
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Zimbabwe\u2019s main opposition leader has refused to accept a court ruling upholding Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s win in last month\u2019s presidential elections.<\/p>\n
Nelson Chamisa said he had a \u201clegitimate claim\u201d to lead the country and would lead peaceful protests.<\/p>\n
His MDC Alliance party has alleged fraud, but on Friday the constitutional court said it had no evidence.<\/p>\n
It was Zimbabwe\u2019s first election since long-time leader Robert Mugabe was ousted from power last year.<\/p>\n
Two days after the vote, at least six people were killed in\u00a0clashes between the army and MDC Alliance supporters, who alleged that party leader Nelson Chamisa had been robbed of victory.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe court\u2019s decision is not the people\u2019s decision,\u201d Mr Chamisa told reporters in the capital Harare.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe legal door is not the only door to happiness. Using our constitutional right, we have a right to peaceful protests. This is the route we will take. One of them,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Mr Chamisa also said he would not attend President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s planned inauguration on Sunday.<\/p>\n
After the ruling, Mr Mnangagwa, who is from the Zanu-PF party of Mr Mugabe, called for \u201cpeace and unity\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cNelson Chamisa, my door is open and my arms are outstretched, we are one nation, and we must put our nation first,\u201d he tweeted.<\/p>\n Mr Mnangagwa narrowly avoided a second-round run-off when he took 50.7% of the vote.<\/p>\n The opposition alleged that his vote share \u2013 which was just 30,000 more votes than the minimum needed for outright victory \u2013 was suspicious.<\/p>\n But Chief Justice Luke Malaba called allegations of tampering \u201cbold and unsubstantiated\u201d.<\/p>\n After the verdict the EU urged all parties to \u201ccall for calm and restraint\u201d while the US called for the parties to respect the \u201cconstitution and the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n International election observers, who were allowed into Zimbabwe for the first time in 16 years, largely praised the conduct of the polls.<\/p>\n However, European Union observers were more cautious, stating that all parties should accept the verdict but also suggesting that President Mnangagwa had benefited from an \u201cun-level playing field\u201d.<\/p>\n \u2013<\/p>\n Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Zimbabwe\u2019s main opposition leader has refused to accept a court ruling upholding Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s win in last month\u2019s presidential elections. Nelson Chamisa said he had a \u201clegitimate claim\u201d to lead the country and would lead peaceful protests. His MDC Alliance party has alleged fraud, but on Friday the constitutional court said it had no evidence. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"iawp_total_views":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10874","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"graphic](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/16842\/production\/_103162229_zimbabwe-nc.png\")
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