Hero’s welcome in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe’s incoming leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa, made a triumphant return on Wednesday, telling cheering supporters that the country is witnessing “a new and unfolding democracy.”
“I appeal to all genuine people of Zimbabwe to come together,” Mnangagwa said. “We are all Zimbabweans . . . We need peace in our country and jobs, jobs, jobs.”
His message was received enthusiastically by the crowd at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF party, as Zimbabwe’s economic crisis helped bring about the downfall of Robert Mugabe, who resigned Tuesday after 37 years.
Mnangagwa, the former vice president, said he had been in constant contact with military leaders during the tumultuous two weeks between his firing by Mugabe and his return from hiding in South Africa. He will be sworn in Friday to serve Mugabe’s remaining term until elections next year.
He praised the military and commander Gen. Constantino Chiwenga, “who have been able to manage this process very peacefully.”
Mnangagwa, 75, fled Zimbabwe after Mugabe fired him, leading the military to move in and kick off a series of extraordinary events that ended in Mugabe stepping down amid impeachment proceedings.
Zimbabweans danced in the streets of Harare late into Tuesday night, thrilled to be rid of a leader whose early promise after the end of white-minority rule in 1980 was overtaken by economic collapse and human-rights violations.
One man in the crowd Wednesday, Godwin Nyarugwa, said that “we need change in this country.”
“We have to try him and see,” he said of Mnangagwa. “If he doesn’t come up with something, we need to change him as well.”