By Ebi Kesiena
UN Secretary General António Guterres has expressed concern over the just concluded Zimbabwe election, amid reports of voter intimidation, threats of violence, harassment and coercion.
He has called on political leaders and their supporters to reject all forms of violence and respect human rights and the rule of law.
In a statement from his spokesperson, the UN Chief called for peace among all parties.
“The secretary general calls on political actors to peacefully settle any disputes through established legal and institutional channels, and urges the competent authorities to resolve any disputes in a fair, expeditious, and transparent manner,” the statement read.
Recall that the electoral commission announced President Emmerson Mnangagwa to have won with 52.6% of the vote.
But the opposition also claimed to have won, saying there was widespread vote-rigging, and observers said the vote fell short of democratic standards.
Also, last week, more than 40 poll monitors were arrested as they were trying to compile their own vote count to compare with the official tally.
The arrests have been condemned by rights groups.
