1996 Zimbabwean presidential election












Zimbabwean presidential election, 1996







← 1990
March 16, 1996 (1996-03-16) - March 17, 1996 (1996-03-17)
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Robert Mugabe cropped.jpg

Muzorewa 1978 b.jpg
Candidate

Robert Mugabe

Abel Muzorewa
Party

ZANU-PF

United Parties
Popular vote
1,404,501
72,600
Percentage
92.76%
4.8%








President before election

Robert Mugabe
ZANU-PF



Elected President

Robert Mugabe
ZANU-PF
































Presidential elections was held in Zimbabwe on 16 and 17 March 1996. The elections were contested by the incumbent President Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe Rhodesia-era Prime Minister Abel Muzorewa, and ZANU–Ndonga leader Ndabaningi Sithole. Mugabe won, claiming over 90% of the vote, though turnout was just 32.3%, largely as a result of Sithole and Muzorewa withdrawing their candidacies shortly before the election (though their names remained on the ballot) due to threats of violence.


Sithole (who was under virtual house arrest due to charges of attempting to assassinate Mugabe) withdrew after claiming that Mugabe's ZANU–PF was undermining his campaign, whilst Muzorewa pulled out after the Supreme Court turned down his bid to postpone the elections on the basis that the electoral rules were unfair (as state funds were only available to parties with 15 or more seats in parliament).[1] In December 1997 Sithole was convicted of conspiring to assassinate Mugabe; he appealed but died whilst out on bail.


There were 4,822,289 voters registered for the election.



Results











































Candidate
Party
Votes
%
Robert Mugabe ZANU-PF 1,404,501 92.76
Abel Muzorewa United Parties 72,600 4.80
Ndabaningi Sithole ZANU-Ndonga 36,960 2.44
Invalid/blank votes 43,497
Total 1,557,558
100
Registered voters/turnout 4,822,289 32.30
Source: African Elections database


References





  1. ^ Zimbabwe President's Last Rival Withdraws From Election New York Times, 16 March 1996










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