Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa vows 'credible' election on independence day

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Zimbabwe on Wednesday marked its first independence day without Robert Mugabe in power, with new leader Emmerson Mnangagwa vowing to hold "credible" elections and turn around the southern African country's moribund economy.

Mugabe has presided Zimbabwe from independence in 1980 until last November when he was forced to resign under pressure from his party, the military and the street.

Presiding over Wednesday's celebrations at the national sports stadium in Harare, Mnangagwa said: "My government has put in place measures for the holding of transparent, free, fair and credible elections."

Admitting that the country's economic crisis was causing "great hardship," he added: "My administration's focus is on the pursuit of investment-led economic recovery, job creation (and) poverty reduction."

The celebrations came as the government fired thousands of nurses who kicked off a strike demanding higher pay on Monday amid growing labor unrest.

Mnangagwa, Mugabe's former deputy, is widely expected to retain power along with the party in the elections expected in July or August.

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Source(s): AFP