The ruling Zanu-PF party appears to be heading for a convincing victory in Zimbabwe’s landmark election, winning the majority of seats in parliament with more than two thirds of the results declared, and the opposition trailing by a large margin.

The results of the poll, the first in 38 years without Robert Mugabe in power, came far earlier than Zimbabwe’s Election Commission (ZEC) had forecast and were immediately enmeshed in bitter accusations and recriminations, with political rivals the MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) alliance claiming there had been widespread fraud and warning of street protests.

There was a veiled threat of violence from the MDC, with Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora saying “If Zanu-PF and ZEC try to cheat, we are confident that the people of Zimbabwe will react. How they react we have absolutely no idea nor do we have any control. Therefore, we are just hoping that the people will be respected.”

The latest figures show acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s party heading for a sizeable majority, getting 110 seats. The MDC have 41 seats and the NPF (National Patriotic Front), sponsored by Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace, have one. Fifty-eight seats are still to be declared.

The outcome of the parallel vote for the presidency is due to be announced in the next 24 hours. Although MDC leader Nelson Chamisa claimed victory the day before, during and after voting, indications have pointed towards a Mnangagwa win. However, there will be a second round in September if no candidate passes the 50 per cent barrier.

Ironically, the MDC accused ZEC on Tuesday of a delay in announcing the results to enable manipulation by Zanu-PF to take place and warned that legal action was being taken to speed up the proceedings. The figures on Wednesday morning came after the count for 39 seats were revealed Tuesday evening.

As the opposition renewed accusations of fraud, there was a rise in the presence of police, with carriers and water cannons, in Harare. It was the first overt sign of security forces patrolling the streets of the capital in an election campaign which had remained largely peaceful despite a grenade attack in a rally addressed by Mr Mnangagwa a month ago.

The MDC claimed it had won the election on Tuesday evening and blamed election authorities for allowing malpractice. Tendai Biti, a MDC official and former finance minister, said: “Some election results that were supposed to be posted outside voting stations were not available and there has been a deliberate interference with the people’s will, shown by delays in announcing the elections results.”

The MDC, however, later modified its position, saying it was not the party but civic society groups who were taking the legal action. No confirmation of this has come from any of the groups.

In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Show all 55 1 /55 In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate after officials announced the re-election of President Emmerson Mnangagwa Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters celebrate at the Harare International Convention Centre in the early hours Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters sing and dance soon after the announcement EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters sing and dance soon after the results of the Presidential elections were announced at the Harare International Convention Centre EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A vendor sells sponges near newspaper headlines on the streets of Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the newly reelected Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa celebrate in Mbare AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election People in Mbare celebrate Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man reads a Zimbabwean newspaper the day after the violence on the streets of Harare EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A soldier fires shots towards demonstrators AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A wounded man reacts at the sight of soldiers while taking shelter in a stall at a market in Harare AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) light a fire in the streets of Harare. Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Soldiers open fire to disperse crowds of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters outside the party's headquarters in Harare REUTERS In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Opposition MDC party supporters hold a voting placard up high on a street in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A supporter of Zimbabwean opposition MDC Alliance allegedly beaten up by soldiers sits with blood on his face as other protesters assist him AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A vendor scurries for cover with her wares as soldiers disperse demonstrators AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A wounded man hides under a tarpauling while the Zimbabwean Army patrols the streets of Harare AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Anti-riot police officers close the entrance to the Rainbow Towers, where the election results were announced in Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Soldiers open fire on citizens REUTERS In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Citizens run the Zimbabwean army during protests in Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) protest the result of the election, which they allege to be fraudulent Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition protest in the streets of Harare as police fire tear gas AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A soldier assaults a man on the streets of Harare during protests AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean anti riot police officers sit in a truck amidst protesters on the streets of Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Citizens run from riot police amidst protests in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Soldiers patrol the streets during protests in Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A Zimbabwean soldier beats a man on the streets of Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man lies dead after the Zimbabwean army shot at protesters in Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A supporter of the opposition party protests in the streets of Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean soldiers beats an opposition supporter on the streets of Harare Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition protest in the streets of Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition protest in the streets of Harare as police fire tear gas Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition burn a campaign banner of the ruling Zanu-PF party Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man casts his vote in Mbare, a suburb of Zimbabwean capital Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A police officer keeps watch of queuing voters in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Voters stand in line outside a polling station in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Election officials remove political posters near a polling station on voting day Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Oppostion leader Nelson Chamisa arrives at a polling station in Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Oppostion leader Nelson Chamisa casts his vote AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa arrives to cast his vote in Kwekwe Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa casts his vote AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Voters stand in line outside a polling station in Kwekwe AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman prays outside a polling station in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Voters arrive at a polling station in Harare EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Former president Robert Mugabe prepares to cast his vote in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman casts her vote in Mbare, a suburb of capital Harare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman casts her vote in the township of Makokoba Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A police officer casts his vote in Mbare Getty In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A woman prays near a polling station in Mbare EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A man casts his vote in Harare AP In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Former president Robert Mugabe speaks at a press conference the day before the vote where he stated that he would not be voting for his former Zanu-PF party Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election A supporter of the opposition MDC party attends the final campaign rally in Harare on July 28 Reuters In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) party attends the final campaign rally in Harare on July 28 EPA In pictures: Zimbabwe votes in historic election Supporters of the opposition MDC (Movement for Democratic Change) party attends the final campaign rally in Harare on July 28 EPA

The MDC maintains that mandatory voting results forms were not posted at more than 20 per cent of the country’s polling stations in an effort to hide the fact that it had won. With repeated declarations of victory coming from their leaders, MDC supporters began to gather outside party headquarters in the afternoon. The mood was celebratory, with dancing to music emanating from a sound system mounted on a lorry.

But there was annoyance and anger as water cannon trucks passed them twice on the road heading for the city centre.

“I hope they are not going to be used against the people. I hope Zanu-PF are not up to their tricks again to steal the election as they have done in the past,” said 26-year-old Evermore Tsitsi, taking a break from the dancing.

“If they are, there will be big trouble, big trouble.”

His companion, Andrew Tawananyasha, 29, wanted to stress, “ZEC has shown that it cannot be trusted, it is working with Zanu-PF. In the past, we have backed down to avoid bloodshed, but this time we must seize our chance, we shall fight if we have to, we are prepared.”

Mr Chamisa has stated a number of times that there would be protest marches if he was denied victory through fraud, adding that they would be peaceful.

ZEC insisted that the election has been fought cleanly. “The atmosphere has remained peaceful” said its chairwoman Priscilla Chigumba. “We will not subvert anything. We have not received any major complaint about how the election was conducted.”

One candidate must get more than 50 per cent of the votes, under the constitution, to win the election with a second round run-off scheduled for September if this does not happen.