Zimbabwe's incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa has submitted his candidacy for the forthcoming elections. After filing the papers, he expressed confidence that the vote would be calm despite recent destabilising actions by the opposition.
"This process is so peaceful. This is what we want and should continue now during the process of campaigning, during the elections, post elections," Mnangagwa said.
Despite the high cost of running for president, which currently stands at $20,000, at least five other people have applied to run, including Mnangagwa's main opponent, Nelson Chamisa.
Chamisa has high hopes for the election as Zimbabweans, according to him, are dissatisfied with the current state of the country.
"The greater the challenges, the greater the dimension of our courage, boldness and fortitude to make sure that we win," Chamisa declared.
Speaking to Sputnik Africa about the situation surrounding the upcoming August elections in Zimbabwe, Martin Zharare, the executive director of Citizens Against Economic Sanctions (CAES), noted that the country is under scrutiny from outside bodies that want to further weaken the economy.
Zimbabwe has been under Western sanctions for more than 20 years.
Zharare suggested that sanctions are used by the West as a mechanism to change governments and regimes they don't like.
"These sanctions are being used as a regime change by the Americans and the British and Australians, the Canadians and actually everybody. It is only the people of China and the Russians who are supporting us, who really know what America is up to," he stated.