HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa says his administration is committed to comprehensive economic reforms cognisant of the regional and economic development trajectory.
Addressing the 38th SADC Summit in Windhoek Namibia today, President Mnangagwa said his government is determined to leapfrog and grow its economy which has suffered for many years of isolation and stagnation.
He also said his government has set out to engage and re-engage with the international community with a view to pursuing strategic partnerships as a quest to be part of the global family of nations guided by his mantra Zimbabwe is open for business.
He reiterated his government is determined and committed to peace, unity and harmony among the citizenry of Zimbabwe saying it is the most desirable environment under which the country can achieve sustainable development and economic growth.
On the domestic front, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe held the much anticipated 30th July harmonised elections following his commitment to open up the democratic space according to the laws of the country guided and informed by the SADC principles and guidelines governing elections as well as the AU Declaration on the principles governing democratic elections in Africa.
He said as such all political parties were free to campaign in all parts of the country, however, they saw fit.
The President said he took it upon himself to preach the message of peace, non violence, harmony, unity and love before, during and after elections and this saw an unprecedented number of people freely exercising their democratic right to elect leaders of their choice.
In the spirit of transparency and openness, he said the country’s elections were held in the full glare of a broader spectrum of international observers and global media.
President Mnangagwa said he is deeply humbled and honoured by the people’s show of confidence in him and exceptional mandate conferred on his party Zanu PF.
He said his party secured more than two thirds majority in the National Assembly while he secured 50.8 percent in the national vote.
The President said he is determined to draw inspiration from the people’s collective hopes and dreams and trust reposed on him to work tirelessly as a servant leader to improve the quality of lives of Zimbabweans.
He said the 30th July harmonised elections represented maturing and entrenchment of democratic expeditions and values of the people of Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa said he is grateful to SADC, AU and COMESA for sending observer missions for the technical assistance rendered to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) adding that Zimbabwe has taken note of all the observer missions’ recommendations particularly the areas the country needs to improve in future.
He added that he is happy that the observer missions were unanimous in their verdict that the elections were held in an unprecedented peaceful, orderly and free environment and that their outcome represented the free and democratic will of the people of Zimbabwe.
President Mnangagwa, however, congratulated President Cyril Ramaphosa for the very skillful and able manner in which he presided over the business of SADC during your tenure of office while in the same vein he congratulated President Hage Geingob of Namibia on being elected the chairperson of the 38th SADC Summit of the Heads of State and Government.
