BE FAIR, ED TELLS POLL OBSERVERS:
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has appealed to foreign observers coming to witness the July 30 harmonised elections to familiarise with the country’s electoral laws and institutional framework to fairly evaluate any poll complaints raised by political parties.
Equally, the President exhorted Zimbabweans to demonstrate the country’s democracy had come of age by displaying the highest level of unity and tolerance during the election period.
Officiating for the first time at the burial of a national hero in his capacity as Head of State and Government at the National Heroes Acre yesterday where Zimbabweans from all walks of life gathered to bid farewell to national hero Cde John Chimbandi, President Mnangagwa said: “Allow me to encourage those coming to observe our elections to acquaint themselves with our electoral laws and institutional arrangements, so that they honestly determine and weigh any demands and complaints from whatever quarter, against reasonableness in terms of our law.”
To fellow Zimbabweans, he said: “In addition, I exhort us to demonstrate our Zimbabwean hospitality to all the visitors who will be observing our elections. Let us show them that Zimbabwe is in a new era and that we are a cultured people, vanhu vane hunhu, abantu abalo buntu.
“Let us equally draw from the unity of purpose that we displayed in November 2017, as we showcased a national trait imparted and refined by history, culture, traditions and collective temperament. I urge us therefore to summon that trait so that our elections surpass all set benchmarks in our quest to move forward, united in our diversity, to build a better future for all.”
Turning to the re-engagement drive by Government to reposition the country among the community of nations, President Mnangagwa said the efforts were yielding results.
“Following close to 20 years of our country’s isolation, our robust engagement and re-engagement with the international community under the mantra ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’ is bearing good fruit,” said the President.
“The importance of engaging without compromising national interests, however, remains key. This is one area which Cde Chimbandi understood quite well. As we engage with the rest of the world for business, we are well aware of the need to engage and motivate domestic players. Our openness for business to the outside world will only be validated by thriving local business.
“Let us use the upcoming elections to rebuild, redefine and revamp our future, a future that Cde Chimbandi and others fought for. This is a new Zimbabwe, full of hope, opportunity, freedom and hope.”
President Mnangagwa said his administration was working to bring about lasting solutions to the current cash shortages.
He, however, urged the transacting public to embrace the use of plastic money.
“I am aware that our people continue to face hardships linked to shortages of cash in the economy, all to back up and complement their buying power,” he said.
“My Government remains fully seized with the matter. We have to date released millions of United States dollars into the market for circulation to ease this problem, however, as soon as the money is injected into the system, it is ‘sponged’ out.
“More creative ways of comprehensively tackling this problem, both in the short to medium term are being considered. Meanwhile, I encourage us to increase our usage of plastic money, in line with global trends.”
President Mnangagwa said the transacting public should not be punished for embracing plastic money and electronic transactions by being subjected to punitive charges.