HARARE – President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa has called on the nation to put behind the recently held elections saying Zimbabweans should come together and work towards a common goal.
Speaking at the official opening of this year’s Harare Agricultural Show edition, Mnangagwa commended the general peace that has prevailed post-August 23 elections.
“I would like to once again commend the people of our beloved country, Zimbabwe, for the unity, peace, tolerance and love that continues to be exhibited following our successful 2023 Harmonised General Elections.
“Now that elections are behind us, let us put shoulders to the wheel with a similar unity of purpose and resolve as we develop, modernize and industrialize our country, motherland to attain vision 2030,” Mnangagwa said.
Zimbabwe recently held its general elections which were largely peaceful but marred by irregularities.
The election that saw Mnangagwa win, according to different Election Observer Missions (EOMs) took place in a restricted political environment and lacked transparency.
EOMs, African Union, SADC, Carter Centre, European Union and Commonwealth condemned the condition under which the elections were held.
Among other concerns raised by the EOMs was ZEC’s centralization of key election processes such as regulation and supervision of the election process such as registering voters, drafting delimitation boundaries, designing, printing, and distributing ballot papers.
The EOMs also highlighted the weaponization of the law by Zanu PF to deny opposition rallies and gatherings while raising red flags over the arrest of some local observers.
The run-up to the general election was characterised by repressive measures through State apparatus which stifled civic space while clamping down opposition gatherings.
According to the EOMs while incidents of political violence were fewer than in 2018, tensions and polarization increased in the months preceding the elections, as legislation restricting individuals’ freedoms of speech, movement, and association, such as the Criminal Law (Codification) Amendment Act, also known as the Patriotic Act, and the PVO Amendment Bill were introduced. – Newzim
