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Zimbabwe Vote For The First Time Post Mugabe(video)

Polls have closed in Zimbabwe’s his­toric elec­tion, the first since the fall of long­time leader Robert Mugabe.

Polls have closed in Zimbabwe’s his­toric elec­tion, the first since the fall of long­time leader Robert Mugabe.

Millions have vot­ed, turnout was high and the day was free of the vio­lence that marked pre­vi­ous elections.The 75-year-old President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a for­mer Mugabe con­fi­dante, is in a close race with main oppo­si­tion leader Nelson Chamisa.

The 40-year-old Chamisa has called the elec­tion a choice between Zimbabwe’s past and future​.Final elec­tion results are expect­ed with­in five days.

The state-owned Herald news­pa­per is report­ing that vot­ing has offi­cial­ly end­ed in the south­ern African coun­try, with most polling sta­tions shut­ting their doors.

Polling offi­cers will take a 15-minute break before vote count­ing starts, the report says.

It’s the final min­utes of vot­ing in Zimbabwe’s his­toric elec­tion, with turnout high and free of the vio­lence that marked pre­vi­ous years, AP reports.

For the first time, for­mer leader Robert Mugabe isn’t on the ballot.

Zimbabweans say they are eager for change after decades of tur­moil and eco­nom­ic stag­na­tion. “Why would I fight my fel­low Zimbabweans?” asks vot­er Tapiwa Kahondo. “I’m so hap­py for today, man. I’m so hap­py,” Kahondo told AP.

The oppo­si­tion has raised con­cerns about delays in the vot­ing in its strong­hold urban areas, and it has warned it will orga­nize peace­ful protests if the elec­tions are thought to be flawed, accord­ing to AP.