Zimbabwe will hold elections in four to five months, local Herald newspaper said on Thursday, quoting President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Mnangagwa – who was sworn into office on November 24 on a caretaker basis – pledged to hold the vote this year.
The election will be the first in Zimbabwe’s history in which Robert Mugabe does not participate.
The 93-year-old was forced to resign from the presidency in November following a military takeover that came following his sacking of Mnangagwa as vice president.
It was widely reported that former First Lady Grace Mugabe was set to take over the vice presidency seat as she continued her political rise.
Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans to preach peace ahead of that vote.
“Zimbabwe is going for elections in four to five months’ time and we have to preach peace, peace and peace because we know it is good for us and we have no doubt that we will have peaceful elections,” Herald newspaper quotes him to have said.
“We will ensure that Zimbabwe delivers free, credible, fair and indisputable elections to ensure Zimbabwe engages the world as a qualified democratic state,” he added.
Under the constitution, Zimbabwe should hold elections between July 22 and Aug. 22, but parliament can choose to dissolve itself, triggering an earlier vote. The ruling ZANU-PF holds a two-thirds majority in parliament.
