General elections were held throughout Zimbabwe on 23 and 24 August 2023 to elect the president, legislators and councillors.^[1] The main race for presidential office was between two candidates of Karanga origin: ZANU–PF's Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and Citizens Coalition for Change's Nelson Chamisa. The voter rolls for the election increased to 6.5 million, up from 5.8 million in 2018.^[2]

Quick Facts Registered, Turnout ...

2023 Zimbabwean general election

← 2018 23 August 2023 (2023-08-23) 2028 →
← outgoing members elected members →
Presidential election
Registered	6,623,511 ( 16.29%)
Turnout	68.86% ( 16.24pp)
Candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa Nelson Chamisa Party ZANU–PF CCC Popular vote 2,350,711 1,967,343 Percentage 52.60% 44.03%
President before election Emmerson Mnangagwa ZANU–PF Elected President Emmerson Mnangagwa ZANU–PF
National Assembly
All 280 seats in the National Assembly 141 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader % Seats +/– ZANU–PF Emmerson Mnangagwa 56.18 177 −2 CCC Nelson Chamisa 41.46 103 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Senate
60 of the 80 seats in the Senate 41 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Seats +/– ZANU–PF Emmerson Mnangagwa 33 −1 CCC Nelson Chamisa 27 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Maps
Presidential election results by constituency House of Assembly election results by constituency Senate election results by province

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The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission spoke about the delays citing that they would compensate for the delays meaning if the polling station was opened at 11 am, it would close at 11 pm to ensure that there is 12 hours of voting. There were some reports from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation that about 5 wards in Manicaland people did not manage to vote at all because of logistical difficulties which were faced by the ZEC. About 35 more were delayed, of which 11 of them were in the capital of the country, Harare, which ultimately lead to ZEC declaring 24 August 2023, also as a voting day although voting is supposed to take place within one day according to Zimbabwean law.^[3]

Political parties competed for one presidential seat, 1,970 council seats and 280 parliamentary seats, and 60 senate seats to be elected for a five-year term. As per the Constitution of Zimbabwe, a presidential candidate must obtain a simple majority of the vote to be declared elected in the first round. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff election is held between the two candidates with the highest number of votes, the winner of which is then declared elected.^[4]

The general population feared possible violence during the election because both sides have a history of political violence. Preelectoral polls^[which?] suggested a runoff was likely.^[5][6]

Presidential Election

The president of Zimbabwe is elected using the two-round system.

Parliamentary Election

The 280 members of the National Assembly consist of 210 members elected in single-member constituencies along with 60 women and 10 youth seats elected by proportional representation in ten seven-seat constituencies based on the country's provinces. Voters cast a single vote, which is counted for both forms of election.^[7] The 80 members of the Senate include 60 members elected from ten six-member constituencies (also based on the provinces) by proportional representation using party lists; the lists must have a woman at the top and alternate between men and women.^[8] The other 20 seats include two reserved for persons with disabilities and 18 for traditional chiefs.

Local Authority Election

The Local Authority elections consist of 1970 members elected in single-member ward along with 603 seats reserved for women elected by proportional representation in local authorities based on an additional 30% of seats in a local authority being reserved for women. Voters cast a single vote, which is counted for both forms of election.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission approved 11 candidates, but disqualified Saviour Kasukuwere for failing to meet residency requirements.^[9] The approved candidates include:^[9][10]

• Emmerson Mnangagwa of ZANU–PF - incumbent president of Zimbabwe since 2017.
• Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
• Elisabeth Valerio of the United Zimbabwe Alliance (UZA).
• Joseph Makamba Busha of the FreeZim Congress (FZC)
• Tapiwa Trust Chikohora of the Zimbabwe Coalition for Peace and Development Party (ZCPD).
• Blessing Kasiyamhuru of the Zimbabwe Partnership for Prosperity (ZIPP).
• Lovemore Madhuku of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA).
• Harry Peter Wilson of the Democratic Opposition Party (DOP).
• Henry Gwinyai Muzorewa of the United African National Council (UANC).
• Wilbert Mubaiwa of the National People's Congress (NPC).

The main issue of the election campaign was inflation^[11] and the economic crisis which had been exacerbated by the hyperinflation of the new Zimbabwean dollar.^[12]

The number of women candidates declined significantly compared to previous elections in 2018.^[13]

A Commonwealth observer mission was invited as part of an attempt to restore Zimbabwe's membership in the Commonwealth.^[14] A lack of ballot papers disrupted voting.^[15]

Election day was extended by another day following ballot delays.^[16] This was after overnight queues.^[17] Accusations of vote rigging were made.^[18] There were reportedly delays of up to 10 hours in opposition stronghold areas.^[19] The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission acknowledged the late distribution of ballot papers at some polling stations and blamed it on printing delays “arising from numerous court challenges”.^[20] Forty-one poll monitors were arrested during the election, being accused of illegally attempting to announce results before the state elections body.^[21]

• 2023 Zimbabwean by-elections