Zimbabwe's Electoral Body Says ZANU-PF Gains Parliament Majority As MDC Protests Against Election Fraud

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) has announced the official results for the country's parliament Wednesday, which shows ZANU-PF winning 145 out of 210 seats, Al Jazeerareports.

This means that ZANU-PF gains two-thirds of the parliament, which allows the party to change the constitution at will.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Zimbabwe's opposition, has won 60 seats. Two seats still need to be announced, according to the ZEC.

ZANU-PF spokesperson Nick Mangwana tells Al Jazeera the party is happy with these results.

"So far, it shows that the people of Zimbabwe have entrusted ZANU-PF to lead them and we will do our best to meet the people's wishes in the constituencies that elected us."

However, the MDC says the vote has been rigged in favor of the party that has been in power since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980.

"The results are a gimmick to try and prepare Zimbabwe for a rigged election," Nkululeko Sibanda, MDC alliance spokesman, tells Al Jazeera. "If President Chamisa wins this election then the people of Zimbabwe will have their government."

Chamisa, who is the MDC's presidential candidate to Twitter to claim his party has won the popular vote:

According to AFP, hundreds of MDC supporters have gathered outside the party headquarters as well as the conference center where the results are being announced in Harare, to protest claims of election fraud and to claim it is their party that have won the elections.

Anti-riot police have been monitoring the demonstrators with water cannon trucks and tanks.

In the wake of possible unrest leading up to the presidential ballot results, Mnangagwa also took to Twitter to call for peace:

Although he promised a free and fair vote when he took power in November, EU observers say in a statement that the elections took place on an "un-level playing field."

The entity also found an "improved political climate...but a lack of trust in the process."

Elmar Brok, EU chief observer," says there were "efforts to undermine the free expression of the will of the electors through inducements, soft intimidation, pressure and coercion...to try to ensure a vote in favor of the ruling party."