Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as
Zimbabwean President
Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s former vice president, has been sworn in as president bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe.
“I, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, swear that as the president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and obey, uphold and defend the constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe,” said the 75-year-old former security chief known as “The Crocodile,” as he took the oath of office at the national sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare before thousands of supporters, dignitaries and foreign diplomats.
“I will promote whatever that will advance and will oppose whatever will harm Zimbabwe, that I will protect and promote the rights and people of Zimbabwe,” he said. “I will devote myself to the well being of Zimbabwe and its people.”
Foreign delegations including Zambian President Edgar Lungu and Botswana’s President Ian Khama have also attended Mnangagwa’s inauguration.
People were seen in the stadium cheering from the crowds as Mnangagwa was sworn in as president.
Zimbabweans hold a banner as they wait for the arrival of Emmerson Mnangagwa to be sworn in as president in Harare, Zimbabwe, Nov. 24, 2017. /Reuters Photo
Week-long political turmoil
The country’s roughly week-long political turmoil started as a military takeover, developed along with protesters calling Mugabe to leave office, and finally ended with Mugabe stepping down.
Mugabe’s iron grip on power ended on Tuesday when his resignation letter was delivered to parliament, where MPs had convened to impeach him.
Mnangagwa returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday after the ruling ZANU-PF party expelled Mugabe and elected him as its new leader.
Mnangagwa has served in government since the 1980s and was appointed as Mugabe’s number two in 2014. He remained in the position until he was sacked by Mugabe two weeks ago and then fled for his safety, which is generally thought to be the trigger of the crisis.
State-run media had earlier claimed that Mugabe may even attend his successor’s swearing-in, but later suggested that after he and Mnangagwa talked about the inauguration, he agreed he “needed time to rest.”
Mugabe was last seen in public on Friday and gave a defiant televised address on Sunday. Neither he nor his wife Grace, who he had positioned as his successor, has been seen since.
Mnangagwa “assured him and his family maximum security and welfare” for their future as private citizens when the two men spoke for the first time since Mnangagwa returned home this week, the state-run Herald news site reported.
[CGTN]
This was a Coup. If AU and SADC thinks it wasn’t then the military in Uganda, DRC, Gabon, etc should be allowed to do the same.
And that’s the elephant in the room…
@ Lombe (MA), your comment reminds me of the old age question/debate: “Does the end justify the means?” In my opinion….SOMETIMES, AND IN VERY EXCEPTIONAL SITUATIONS (such as this one in Zimbabwe), the end justifies the means…
It is not interesting, no elections?
No constitution, I don’t like Mmunangagwa.
Campaigning could have been exciting.
He unconstitutionally became a president and he wants to defend the same constitution which he broke. He must be a friend to HH
Henchman of dictator Mugabe takes over and the gullible are rejoicing.
what a backward African country of Zimbabwe!
YEAH! THIS WAS A ‘cool d’état’. ZIMBABWE’S ARMY GENERALS MUST BE PRAISED FOR STAGING A BLOODLESS, ‘COOL’ D’ETAT’. PROBABLY, THE FIRST ARMY IN THE WORLD THAT EVER PLANNED AND STAGED A coup d’état WHERE NORMAL LIFE JUST WENT ON AS NORMAL. CITIZENS WENT TO WORK, SCHOOL GIRLS AND BOYS WENT TO SCHOOL AND EVEN MEETING TANKS WHICH ARE A SIGN OF WAR BUT IN THIS CASE TANKS WERE A SYMBOL OF PROTECTION FOR THE CITIZENS. ZIMBABWE’S ARMY GENERALS HAVE TAUGHT THE WORLD A VERY PRACTICAL LESSON THAT WRESTLING POWER FROM A DICTATOR SHOULDN’T BE BLOODY. NOTHING LIKE THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED ESPECIALLY IN THE SO CALLED CIVILISED WESTERN AND EASTERN WHITE COUNTRIES. THIS IS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT AFRICANS ARE PEACEFUL WITH WESTERN WHITE INFLUENCE THAT CONFUSES THE AFRICAN CULTURAL, TRADITION AND…
…THIS IS A CLEAR INDICATION THAT AFRICANS ARE PEACEFUL WITH WESTERN WHITE INFLUENCE THAT CONFUSES THE AFRICAN CULTURAL, TRADITION AND RELIGIOUS SET UPS. ONCE, AGAIN HATS OFF TO THE ZIM GENERALS AND THE ENTIRE DEFENCE. THE WORLD HAS A LOT TO LEARN FROM THEM.
THAT WAS A ‘COOL’ D’ETAT.
lungu’s hypocrisy is becoming legendary and without limits. He has attended the inauguration that he labelled as “illegal takeover” of power.
@ Wantashi
Exactly my thought! If he thinks it’s an unconsitutional power grab, why has he gone to attend the swearing ceremony?
THIS IS ANOTHER MONSTER.
PEOPLE OF ZIM WILL REMEMBER R.G.M.
REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN LIBYA.
Mugabe and Mnangagwa may have belonged to the same party for so many years but they are two different human beings.Chiluba and Mwanawasa belonged to the MMD,but were they the same in terms of character and personality? The answer is NO.For Mnangagwa to win Zimbabwean people’s confidence depends on what he will do between now and September next year
Let’s wait and see. No need to judge now. It is done and so give the new head of state chance!
The headline should mistakenly read “Underfive sworn in as Zimbabwe’s President”. I mean he will never get a chance in Zambia, so such a mistake would do his ego some good… kikikikikiki …….
Hehehe ka muchemble Mr terrible…….still getting hard ons when you think of HH ????
Unless your father told you that you are God.
If in your house you have a Grace Mugabe in the making, just know that you will never, ever be President of Zambia after the experiences in Zimbabwe.
I hate people with African names
I cant pronounce this man
Thanks
BB2014,2016
You can call him Ba Emma
A tender age of 75.
And yowa name is Piglet mushota? demented this one!
Munangagwa will have to compensate all while farmers evicted from their land at today’s prices as a condition for Zimbabwe to enter the family of nations again and access western funding…..that is a pre condition…now was it worth all the hell wrought on Zimbabwe in the manner it was carried out ???
White farmers..
Same forest under a different monkey …..basically .
“Nostradamus” and “Lombe” are both agonising in pain because their stooge Tsvangirai – a friend of HH, Maimane, Odinga and Obasanjo – did not feature in the manner the problems of Zimbabwe were resolved. This bunch of African traitors who flirt with white racists detest the history of Liberation Movements. Neo-colonialists had actually hatched a plan to exploit resources in strategic states of Angola, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Hence racists hired Black traitors to fight MPLA, ANC, Jubilee Party, SWAPO, FRELIMO, PF and ZANU-PF to initiate regime changes in southern Africa. Events in Zimbabwe have frustrated them to the core.
Miserable “Spaka like lilo”, note that President Mnangagwa understands the roots linked to land issues in Zimbabwe. In 1980 Britain accepted and signed a provision to the effect that UK would raise money to pay white landlords for distribution of land to the people of Zimbabwe. When Britain refused to honour the agreement signed at Lancaster House in London, the ZANU-PF Government was forced to grab land from whites by force. UK opted to connive with USA to punish Zimbabwe economically. Britain reciprocated to USA by supporting US Government to wage war on Iraq. Genuine African leaders understand land issues in Zimbabwe. “Spaka like lilo”just SHUT UP!
You don’t know nothing iwe …..i am only stating facts…….even munangagwa said zim will have to compensate the farmers on his inoguration speech ??? Is it your fathers land or money ?
Further information for “Spaka like lilo”. Britain evolved a plan to transform Kenya and Southern Rhodesia into colonies (like New Zealand) on the African Continent. In Southern Rhodesia many Africans were forcibly moved out of their fertile land and relocated to Northern Rhodesia. If “Spaka like lilo” is Tonga, he will discover that Africans from Zimbabwe were relocated in Zambia and many have opted to settle in such areas as Macha, Mapanza and Kabulamwanda in Southern Province, in Mungule, Mandevu and Chongwe areas in Lusaka Province, and Muswishi area east of Kabwe. In 1980 most Zimbabweans returned to Zimbabwe to reclaim their stolen land. Hence UPND members must take stock of HH grabbing grazing land in Namwala.
You son of a bit.ch so what ? Is it your fathers money used to compensate farmers ???
For your information your hero Mugabe killed millions or caused the death of millions of Zimbabweans.. …