By Staff Reporter

PRESIDENT-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa has set August 12 to be the day of his inauguration but faces a potential legal ambush by his closest challenger Nelson Chamisa of MDC Alliance who insists he was robbed of his victory.

According to circular No 18 of 2018 sent out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tuesday, Mnangagwa will be sworn in as Zimbabwean President for his first full term this coming Sunday.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade presents with compliments to a Heads of Diplomatic Missions, International Organisations, Honorary Consulates accredited to the Republic of Zimbabwe and has the honour to invite the latter to the inauguration of the President Elect of the Republic of Zimbabwe His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa which is scheduled to Sunday 12 August 2018 at the National Sports Stadium,” the circular reads in part.

Mnangagwa was declared winner of the July 30 presidential election after he polled 50,8 percent of the national vote, outpolling Chamisa who had 44,3 percent share of the vote.

However, the 40-year-old losing presidential hopeful is adamant results announced by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission were “fake”.

He insists he and his party were in possession of authentic results which place him as winner of the poll.

Chamisa and his legal team are racing against time to mount a constitutional court challenge against the result.

In a tweet Tuesday, Chamisa said his legal team had finished studying the election result figures compiled by his party and was convinced “we won resoundingly and are ready to form the next government”.

The opposition leader has seven days from the date results were announced to formally contest the poll result through a court petition while Mnangagwa has until the ninth day from results declaration to be sworn in.

The Constitutional Court will have 14 days to consider an election petition upon which its decision would be final.