Summary

  • Incumbent President Mnangagwa re-elected with 50.8% of vote

  • Zimbabwe opposition leader maintains he won presidential vote

  • Mnangagwa calls for peace and national unity

  • Riot police disperse opposition MDC press conference

  • Zimbabwe police issue apology for disruption

  • Egypt's Pope quits Facebook to save time

  • Biggest lottery jackpot in SA history awaits

  1. Americans told to 'stay at home'published at 10:43 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    The US Embassy in Zimbabwe has issued a warning to its citizens in the country.

    "You should remain safely at home... If you must go out, use caution," a statement on Facebook says.

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  2. Army 'orders people to go home'published at 10:29 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Journalists in the centre of Zimbabwe' capital, Harare, are reporting that soldiers are ordering people to go home.

    A Financial Times correspondent has tweeted that there is an "ominous feeling" in the city:

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    Reuters news agency is also reporting that soldiers have told shopkeepers to close for the day.

  3. Commonwealth denounces 'excessive force'published at 10:16 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    The Commonwealth election observer mission in Zimbabwe has denounced "the excessive use of force against unarmed civilians" on Wednesday.

    The mission's chairperson, Ghana's former President John Mahama, called on "all parties to exercise restraint".

    Shot of the Commonwealth statement

    He added that "the progress achieved so far could be undermined if all parties and their supporters do not remain peaceful" and urged the electoral commission to release the presidential election result "without further delay".

    The Commonwealth says that prior to Monday's vote it observed that all parties had the freedom to campaign, that there had been a change in the way the security forces had behaved compared to previous elections and that the team had not witnessed any politically motivated violence.

    This was the first time Commonwealth observers were in the country since 2002.

  4. The difference 48 hours make in Hararepublished at 10:03 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    BBC Focus on Africa TV presenter Sophie Ikenye has posted two pictures that reflect the change in mood in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

    On Tuesday, the day after the elections, business got back to normal as people were reflecting on what seemed to be a well run vote. Thursday's picture shows a much quieter view as people are staying away in the wake of Wednesday's clashes.

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    The BBC's Efrem Gebreab says most shops in the city centre are closed.

    He snapped this picture of a usually busy street corner:

    Quiet streets
  5. Police outside Zimbabwe opposition HQpublished at 09:53 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Most shops remain closed in downtown Harare as Zimbabwe continues to wait for the result of Monday's presidential election, reports the BBC's Nomsa Maseko.

    Violence broke out on Wednesday as opposition MDC Alliance supporters took to the streets complaining that the result is being rigged

    Nomsa shot a short video showing police vehicles outside the MDC Alliance headquarters.

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    Legally, the electoral commission has until Saturday to announce the result.

  6. Soldiers 'back on the streets'published at 09:44 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Soldiers have been seen on the streets of Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, a day after clashes left at least three people dead.

    On Wednesday, security forces shot at demonstrating opposition MDC Alliance supporters who were complaining that the presidential election result is being rigged.

    BBC reporters have seen soldiers on foot patrol as well as an army truck driving around.

    Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) is due to make a statement but it's not clear what they're going to talk about.

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    As we reported, Zec's website has been taken offline, but it's not clear why.

  7. Thursday's newspaper headlinespublished at 09:18 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Zimbabwe's main newspapers all reflect Wednesday's violence, but the headlines provide different perspectives:

    Newspaper headlines

    The state-run Herald newspaper leads on President Emmerson Mnangagwa's statement that the opposition was to blame for the trouble.

    The independent newspaper, the Daily News, is more descriptive. It leads with the headline "Mayhem", saying that central Harare was turned into a "war zone".

    And Newsday, which is also independent, suggests that six died in the violence - the official death toll stands at three.

  8. Zimbabwe president 'in dialogue' with oppositionpublished at 09:03 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa says he is talking to the opposition in the wake of Wednesday's violence which left three people dead.

    In a series of tweets he expresses his condolences and calls for an independent investigation.

    He adds: "We have been in communication with Nelson Chamisa to discuss how to immediately defuse the situation."

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  9. Shock and anxiety in Zimbabwepublished at 08:56 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Andrew Harding
    BBC News, Harare

    The street cleaners are busy in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, and small groups of riot police are on patrol.

    The government here has warned that it will not tolerate a repeat of the chaos that erupted on Wednesday.

    Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa is blaming the opposition MDC Alliance for orchestrating a rampage by its supporters.

    But many here were shocked to see the army intervening with such violence, attacking and shooting civilians. Three people were killed in the violence.

    And the country is still waiting for the results of Monday’s presidential election. The opposition is convinced that the vote is being rigged and international observers are increasingly worried by the lack of news.

    It is very hard to imagine that all sides here will accept the results of a poll that was supposed to usher in a new era of stability.

    Fire burning on the streetsImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    People are cleaning up the streets after Wednesday's violence

  10. Electoral commission site offlinepublished at 08:55 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    As Zimbabweans continues to wait for the result of Monday's presidential election result, one place they might turn to for news is not available.

    That's because the website of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, external (Zec) has gone down.

    Website message saying site has gone down

    The reason for the problem is not clear.

    Zec has announced most of the results from Monday's parliamentary elections but has until Saturday to give the result of the presidential vote.

    The delay in announcing that result has added to the tensions in the country, observers say.

  11. Thursday's wise wordspublished at 08:54 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Our African proverb of the day:

    Quote Message

    Blow your horn in a herd of elephants; crow in the company of cockerels; bleat in a flock of goats."

    A Malawian proverb sent by Richard Matikanya in Nairobi, Kenya

    CockerelImage source, Getty

    Click here to send us your African proverbs.

  12. Good morningpublished at 08:53 British Summer Time 2 August 2018

    Welcome back to BBC Africa Live, where we'll be keeping up-to-date with developments in Zimbabwe as we continue to wait for the presidential election results. We'll also be posting about other stories from the continent.

  13. Scroll down for Wednesday's storiespublished at 17:48 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    We'll be back on Thursday

    BBC Africa Live
    Farouk Chothia & Dickens Olewe

    That's all from BBC Africa Live today. Keep up-to-date with the latest from Zimbabwe by listening to the Africa Today podcast or check the BBC News website.

    A reminder of today's wise words:

    Quote Message

    One who would like to raise a cow should start with a hen."

    A Swahili proverb sent by Carol Gicheru, Seattle, US

    Click here to send us your African proverbs.

    And we leave you with this picture of a defaced campaign banner of Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the capital, Harare.

    Political posterImage source, AFP
  14. US calls for calmpublished at 17:44 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    A supporter of Zimbabwean opposition MDC Alliance push a barrel in front of a fire in Harare on August 1, 2018Image source, AFP
    Image caption,

    The MDC Alliance says the election was stolen

    The US Embassy in Harare says it is deeply concerned about the clashes between Zimbabwe's security forces and supporters of the opposition MDC Alliance, following disputed elections.

    "Zimbabwe has an historic opportunity to move the country towards a brighter future for all its citizens. Violence cannot be part of the process," it said in a statement, posted on its Twitter account.

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  15. Photos of soldiers opening fire in Hararepublished at 17:33 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    News agencies managed to take some photos of the military's intervention to end opposition protests in Zimbabwe's capital, despite attempts to prevent journalists from doing their job.

    A vendor scurries for cover with her wares as soldiers disperse demonstrators on August 1 2018, after protests erupted over alleged fraud in the country"s electionImage source, AFP
    Soldiers open fire to disperse crowds of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party"s headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018Image source, Reuters
    A soldier fires shots towards demonstrators, on August 1 2018, as protests erupted over alleged fraud in the country"s electionImage source, AFP
    Soldiers disperse crowds of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party"s headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018Image source, Reuters
  16. Army ordered media 'to switch off cameras'published at 17:23 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    A media campaign group has condemned Zimbabwe's army for harassing journalists covering the protests in Harare.

    Soldiers ordered journalists to "switch off their video recording equipment and cameras", the Media Institute for Southern Africa's Zimbabwe branch said.

    The right of journalists to report freely was guaranteed by the constitution, it added.

    Read their full statement below:

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  17. Troops deployed to guarantee 'tranquility'published at 17:06 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    Soldiers move in to disperse crowds of opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party"s headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1, 2018Image source, Reuters

    Zimbawe's Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has defended the deployment of the army in the capital, Harare, saying it was done to ensure "peace and tranquility".

    "The presence of the army is not to intimidate people but to ensure that law and order is maintained. They are there to assist the police," Mr Ziyambi told South Africa's eNCA broadcaster.

  18. 'Unofficial curfew' in Hararepublished at 16:58 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    It seems like an unofficial curfew has been imposed in Zimbabwe's capital, a BBC correspondent tweets:

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  19. Police order people to go homepublished at 16:57 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    A BBC correspondent in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, has tweeted:

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  20. 'Something has changed' in Hararepublished at 16:53 British Summer Time 1 August 2018

    Pumza Fihlani
    BBC News, Harare

    Media caption,

    Zimbabwe election: Man shot in skirmishes with police in Harare

    Army vehicles and police trucks rolled into Harare after the wait for the election results took an ugly turn.

    MDC Alliance supporters had been gathering in various parts of the city since the morning, but when news came that Zanu-PF had won the majority of seats in parliament and that the presidential results were not ready, the previously upbeat mood turned.

    They went on the rampage down Harare's busy streets, heading towards an old Zanu-PF office and carrying large stones, sticks and anything else they could grab along the way. The crowd chanted: "We want Chamisa."

    They believe the election has been stolen, and are demanding the MDC Alliance be announced as winner.

    Riot police using water cannon and tear gas arrived to a chaotic scene of burning tyres and an unrelenting crowd. There were hundreds of them. They jeered and pelted the police vans with stones.

    In another part of the city where more opposition protesters had gathered, the army used whips to disperse them.

    Today's clashes may not have been on the scale of the "days of old", where intimidation by security police was the order of the day, but it's certainly not the peace many had been praising until now. Something has changed here.