The presidential inauguration in Zimbabwe has been delayed. The opposition party formally challenged last month's election in court. Its leader, Nelson Chamisa, is demanding new elections or he be declared the winner. CGTN's Farai Mwakutuya has more from Harare.

The MDC Alliance kept everyone waiting until the final hour, arriving at the constitutional court with just minutes to spare before the expiry of seven-day deadline allowed to challenge the election result.

The MDC claims its candidate Nelson Chamisa won the poll and wants the court to overturn the outcome of what it says was a flawed process.

THABANI MPOFU LAWYER, MDC ALLIANCE "It was not conducted in terms of the constitution. It was not conducted in terms of the Electoral Act. It was not conducted in terms of standards of fairness, transparency and accountability. And on the basis of the evidence that we have placed before the court, we seek the main relief to the effect that the court must declare the proper winner and that proper winner is my client. In the alternative, we seek that there be another election which complies with the dictates of the law."

It says its unearthed result slips with inconsistent tallies, which prove its case.

THABANI MPOFU LAWYER, MDC ALLIANCE "We managed to place before the court V11 forms which show an attempt to erase the figures that had been entered, we managed to place before the court all the mathematical and statistical irregularities. We have managed to place before the court the background issues on that bear on the conduct of a free, fair and credible election, so what we must now do is to argue the matter."

FARAI MWAKUTUYA HARARE, ZIMBABWE "The filing of the application means an inauguration ceremony of President-Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa must be put on hold until the constitutional court has heard the case and made its judgment. It has 14 days in which to do so."

The winner of a presidential election must be sworn in within nine days of the declaration of results, assuming there are no challenges.

The MDC alliance has listed the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission as well as the other 22 presidential candidates as respondents in its application.

The ruling ZANU PF has assembled a 12-member legal team to respond to the appeal. It has three days in which to do so, after which justices of the country's highest court will begin to hear the case. FM, CGTN, H, Z.