HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's opposition accused the election commission on Tuesday of deliberately delaying results of this week's vote to favor the ruling party, reporting irregularities in the first poll since the removal of Robert Mugabe in a November coup. Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his main opponent Nelson Chamisa both said on Tuesday they were confident of victory..

Mnangagwa, 75, a long-serving security chief who took power after Mugabe was toppled in a de facto coup in November, said he was receiving “extremely positive” information on the vote. Even though the election passed off peacefully, several water cannon trucks patrolled outside the central Harare headquarters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) as its red-shirted supporters danced in the streets. Defeat for the ruling party would likely lead "to a denunciation of the election by the Mnangagwa administration and the potential for the military to intervene to secure power for Zanu-PF," the London-based BMI risk consultancy said. Image caption The electoral commission says 70% of registered voters took part in the election

It said it had observed several problems, including media bias, voter intimidation and mistrust in the electoral commission, adding that there was an "improved political climate, but un-level playing field and lack of trust". Mr Mnangagwa reported he was feeling "extremely positive” after receiving information from Zanu-PF representatives on the ground.
Violence breaks out in Zimbabwe amid allegations of election-rigging by the ruling Zanu-PF party.