Zimbabwe’s Next Leader Prepares to Take Power
IMF calls for imediate reforms
Zimbabwe’s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday for his new role as president after a triumphant return home following the dramatic departure of Robert Mugabe, ending 37 years of authoritarian rule, AFP reports.
This was as the International Monetary Fund has warned that the southern African country must act quickly to dig its economy out of a hole and access international financial aid.
Government spending and foreign debt are too high and it needs structural reform, Zimbabwe mission chief Gene Leon told Reuters news agency.
Mnangagwa, who has close ties to the army and the security establishment, returned to Zimbabwe on Wednesday where he received a hero’s welcome, telling crowds of supporters in Harare they were witnessing the start of a new democratic era.
The 75-year-old will be sworn in as president at an inauguration ceremony on Friday.
It was his first public speech since Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6 over a succession tussle with the first lady, in a move which prompted the military’s intervention and eventually led to Mugabe’s resignation on Tuesday.
“Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new and unfolding full democracy in our country,” he told hundreds of supporters, some wearing shirts emblazoned with his image.
He arrived at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF in a presidential-style motorcade surrounded by a large security detail.
The country’s incoming leader, according to BBC, has pledged to grow the economy and provide “jobs, jobs, jobs”.
The once-thriving economy is now seen as a regional basket case.
“The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,” Mr Leon told Reuters.
He said high government spending should be reined in and Zimbabwe should address the large international debt it has defaulted on.
“Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and reengage with the international community to access much needed financial support,” Mr Leon said.