Presidential elections in Mali and Zimbabwe

The Malian President Ibrahim Boubakar Keita claims he is leading presidential polls according to provisional vote count in the west African country. However, even if his victory is confirmed, there is a big probability he's not going to clinch a first round victory thus the possibility of the vote entering a runoff as by law required.

The main opposition candidate Soumaila Cisse said the poll would go to a run-off and claimed also the election was defined by several irregularities.

As for Zimbabwe, vote counting proceeds. Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa wrote on twitter that" his Movement for Democratic Change has done exceedingly well; awaiting the Zimbabwe Electoral Comission to perform their constitutional duty to officially announce the people's election results and we are ready to form the next government."

Observers note that it it is too early to call a winner. There will be a runoff on Sept. 8 if no candidate wins more than half the votes. We should also be aware that it is expected that Chamisa wins widely in urban areas and the results tend to emerge quicker, but on the other hand, in the "rural heartland" the ZANU-PF from the President Emmerson Mnangagwa (who is also confident) is expected to claw back ground.