Zanu-PF has led Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980. In the last general election in 2018, it won by a slim margin, achieving 50.7% to the Movement for Democratic Change Alliance's 44.4%.

Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa's main challenger in this year's election is expected to be Nelson Chamisa, who left the MDC-A to found the Citizens Coalition for Change.

The ruling party lost ground to the MDC-A in eight provinces in 2018. A record 6.6-million people have registered to vote in this year’s poll on 23 August.