The face of Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe's president, adorns a supports t-shirt during a Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANUPF) rally at the National Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe, on 28 July 2018. (Photo: Waldo Swiegers / Bloomberg via Getty Images) 
A timeline of the past four elections, and the elections of 2023:
Zimbabwean voters cast their ballots to elect Zimbabwe’s president, council representatives and members of Parliament, during elections on August 23, 2023. Polling was extended into a second day in selected wards amid administrative delays.
The election was held against the backdrop of the major issues plaguing the country: citizens enmeshed in never-ending poverty; a failing education system; a fragile healthcare system; and a declining economy.
It was the second general election since a 2017 coup deposed Robert Mugabe, who led the southern African country for 37 years. He was replaced by the current leader of Zanu-PF and incumbent president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is seeking a second term.
Mnangagwa went head to head against Nelson Chamisa, the leader of the official opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), who hopes to break the governing party’s 43-year rule.
Read more in Daily Maverick: Zimbabwe Elections 2023
DM
This article was amended and updated on August 28, 2023.