CLAIM: We defeated Zanu PF twice, but they refused to go.
SOURCE: Nelson Chamisa in NewZimbabwe.com
VERDICT: False
In an article published on 8 November 2024, under the headline, ‘Botswana is a signal’ — says Chamisa, claims he beat Mnangagwa twice in elections but he refused to go’, NewZimbabwe.com, an online publication, quotes former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader, Nelson Chamisa claiming that his party defeated ZANU-PF twice in elections but refused to hand over power.
According to the article, Chamisa told Botswana Television (BTV) on the sidelines of the inauguration of that country’s new president, Duma Gideon Boko, that he beat President Emmerson Mnangagwa twice in elections but the ZANU-PF leader refused to leave office.
Hailing the smooth transfer of power from the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had ruled the Southern African nation for nearly 60 years to former opposition, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) following the October 30 elections, Chamisa is quoted as saying President Mnangagwa should learn from Zimbabwe’s western neighbour that power is not permanent and politicians take turns to rule.
“We defeated Zanu PF twice, but they refused to go,” Chamisa is quoted as saying, in the NewZimbabwe.com article.
“We hope Mr Mnangagwa will learn one or two lessons about life after politics, life after leadership, life after public office. Botswana is a signal, what Botswana has done is significant for the continent, for a new Africa, and the region in terms of heralding a new era of newness, an era of transformation; an era of effective transition. You look at it, the BDP was in power for 58 years but this is a smooth transition from one political party to another.”
Nelson Chamisa has contested Zimbabwe’s elections as the opposition presidential candidate twice (in 2018 and 2023).
Zimbabwe 2018 general elections
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the country’s electoral management body, in its Zimbabwe 2018 Harmonised Elections Report published the results on page 23, indicating that President Mnangagwa won the presidential race by 50.67% while Chamisa came second receiving 44.39% of the total votes cast. See the table below
Table: 13
2018 Election Presidential Results
| Candidate | Results | Percentage |
| Busha | 17,540 | 0.36% |
| Chamisa | 2,151,927 | 44.39% |
| Chikanga | 13,132 | 0.27% |
| Dzapasi | 1,890 | 0.04% |
| Gava | 2,858 | 0.06% |
| Hlabangana | 9,460 | 0.20% |
| Kasiyamhuru | 7,016 | 0.14% |
| Khupe | 45,626 | 0.94% |
| Madhuku | 2,692 | 0.06% |
| Mangoma | 2,431 | 0.05% |
| Manyika | 2,681 | 0.06% |
| Mapfumo | 1,546 | 0.03% |
| Mariyacha | 1,673 | 0.03% |
| Mhambi | 4,405 | 0.09% |
| Mnangagwa | 2,456,010 | 50.67% |
| Moyo | 15,172 | 0.31% |
| Mteki | 2,732 | 0.06% |
| Mugadza | 5,898 | 0.12% |
| Mujuru | 12,823 | 0.26% |
| Munyanduri | 4,498 | 0.09% |
| Mutinhiri | 4,107 | 0.08% |
| Shumba | 3,905 | 0.08% |
| Wilson | 4,895 | 0.10% |
| Total Votes Rejected | 72,316 | 1.49% |
| Total Valid Votes Cast | 4,774,917 | 98.51% |
| Total Votes Cast | 4,847,233 | 100.00% |
Chamisa’s party then MDC Alliance, rejected the poll outcome as “fraudulent” claiming the election had been rigged in favour of President Mnangagwa, and filed a petition at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt challenging the poll outcome. The ConCourt, however, dismissed the party’s application and upheld President Mnangagwa’s victory.
Zimbabwe 2023 general elections
In the 2023 elections, ZEC declared President Mnangagwa who secured 52.6 percent of the votes the winner of the presidential race, beating Chamisa who came second with 44 percent of the ballot, and other contestants. However, Chamisa’s CCC party rejected the poll outcome although it did not take the matter to the ConCourt.
The results of the 2023 presidential poll were published by ZEC in the Zimbabwe 2023 Harmonised Report.
The 2008 Harmonised Elections Scenario
In 2008 Chamisa’s party then led by the late Morgan Tsvangirai garnered more than 47 percent of the presidential vote against 43 percent secured by ZANU-PF’s Robert Mugabe but could not be declared winner after failing to reach the 50 percent plus one vote constitutional requirement. For the first time since 2000, the opposition secured more parliamentary seats than ZANU-PF in the first-ever harmonised elections.
Conclusion
The claim by former CCC leader, Nelson Chamisa: ‘We defeated ZANU-PF twice, but they refused to go,” has been rated as false in that despite claiming victory and accusing ZANU-PF of rigging past polls, there is no publicly available evidence that supports this. Official poll results by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission do not point to any victory by the country’s opposition. According to ZEC in 2018, President Mnangagwa was declared the winner by the electoral management body and the Constitutional Court amassed 50.67 percent of the presidential votes while Chamisa garnered 44.3 percent. In the 2023 elections, ZEC indicated that President Mnangagwa secured 52.6 percent of the votes beating Chamisa who came second with 44 percent of the ballot. In 2008 while Tsvangirai got more votes (47 percent) than former president Mugabe (43 percent), he was not declared the winner after failing to reach the 50 percent plus one vote constitutional winning threshold.
