Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF party has taken an early lead as results from the just ended harmonised elections rolled in on Tuesday.

The state-owned Herald newspaper reported on Wednesday that Zanu-PF was “poised for a comfortable majority in parliament, as the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission continued to announce the results”.

The report said that of the 102 National Assembly seats announced so far, Zanu-PF had bagged 73, MDC Alliance 28, while one seat went to the National Patriotic Front (NPF).

This came as Zimbabwe’s government warned election candidates on Tuesday that they faced prosecution and jail for prematurely announcing results of the landmark polls after the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party said it had won, said an AFP report.

“As a government we have noted with concern the actions and conduct of some political party leaders… who are openly declaring that they will announce results irrespective of provisions of the law,” said Home Affairs Minister Obert Mpofu at a media briefing in Harare