Mnangagwa to be sworn in as president of Zimbabwe

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Emmerson Mnangagwa is set to be sworn in as president of Zimbabwe on Friday, marking the final chapter of a political drama that toppled his predecessor Robert Mugabe following a military takeover.

In a statement to state broadcaster ZBC, Mnangagwa said vengeance is not in the nature of Zimbabweans.

"While all this is going on, I implore all Zimbabweans to remain patient and avoid any form of revengeful retribution," he said.

Supporters of Zimbabwe's former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa await his arrival in Harare, Zimbabwe. /Reuters Photo

He also urged Zimbabweans to refrain from settling political or social scores outside the ambit of the law.

Mnangagwa, until recently one of Mugabe's closest allies, will take the oath of office at the national sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare in front of thousands of supporters, dignitaries and foreign diplomats.

Mugabe, who ruled the southern African country for 37 years, was ousted from office when the military intervened after he sacked Mnangagwa as vice president.

Mugabe, 93 and in increasingly frail health, had been positioning his wife Grace as his successor, but the army chiefs acted to halt the plan and usher in Mnangagwa.

"Come and be an eyewitness of history being made, the historic ushering in (of) a new era and better country," said a statement from the ruling ZANU-PF party calling on people to attend the inauguration.

State television suggested that Mugabe may be present, but no official confirmed his participation.

Buses have been arranged to transport supporters to the 60,000-capacity stadium early on Friday.

Mnangagwa, 75, said this week that Zimbabweans were witnessing "a new and unfolding full democracy," though critics say he is a ZANU-PF hardliner who gained power in a de facto military coup.

He is known as "The Crocodile" for his ruthlessness and is accused of overseeing ethnic massacres by the army in the 1980s and the 2008 election violence when Mugabe was at risk of losing the vote.

Second post-independence leader

Ahead of the inauguration, the army warned that criminals had been impersonating soldiers since the crisis to extort money from the public and called on Zimbabweans to obey the law.

Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial power, said it was sending Minister of State for Africa Rory Stewart to the ceremony.

Supporters of Zimbabwe's former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa await his arrival in Harare, Zimbabwe, November 22, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Regional heavyweight South Africa said President Jacob Zuma would not be present as he was hosting a visit by Angola's new head of state.

Zuma praised Mugabe, noting "his contribution to the liberation of the Southern African region and the decolonization of the continent."

Mugabe had ruled since Zimbabwean independence in 1980 but his tenure ended on Tuesday when he submitted a resignation letter to parliament where MPs had convened to impeach him.

Mugabe was last seen in public on Friday and gave a defiant televised address on Sunday.

Neither he nor his wife Grace has been seen since, though they are expected to be given protection by the government.

The main opposition group, the Movement for Democratic Change, said it was "cautiously optimistic" that Mnangagwa would not be as "evil, corrupt, decadent" as Mugabe.

In the week before Mugabe resigned, military vehicles rolled down Harare's streets, army generals made a TV address in the early hours and tens of thousands of Zimbabweans demonstrated against the veteran leader.

Zimbabwe's once-promising economy collapsed under Mugabe's rule, and many hope Mnangagwa will push through reforms to bring in investment.

Unemployment is reportedly at over 90 percent, and in his first speech after being announced as the next president, he promised "jobs, jobs, jobs!"

CGTN will livestream Mnangagwa's inauguration on our TV channel, mobile app and social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Weibo.

Source(s): AFP ,Xinhua News Agency