Zimbabwean presidential election, 1996

Infobox Election
election_name = Zimbabwean presidential election, 1996
country = Zimbabwe
type = presidential
ongoing = no
previous_election = Zimbabwean presidential election, 1990
previous_year = 1990
next_election = Zimbabwean presidential election, 2002
next_year = 2002
election_date = March 16 - March 17, 1996


candidate2 = Abel Muzorewa
party2 = United Parties
popular_vote2 = 72,600
percentage2 = 4.8%


candidate1 = Robert Mugabe
party1 = Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front
popular_vote1 = 1,404,501
percentage1 = 92.76%
title = President
before_election = Robert Mugabe
before_party = Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front
after_election = Robert Mugabe
after_party = Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front

A presidential election was held in Zimbabwe on 16 and 17 March 1996. The election was contested by the incumbent 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).

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). [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E0DB1639F935A25750C0A960958260 Zimbabwe President's Last Rival Withdraws From Election] New York Times, 16 March 1996] 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

References