Mnangagwa sworn in, says there had been errors under Mugabe
HARARE: Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in yesterday as president of Zimbabwe in front of thousands of supporters at the national stadium here, bringing the final curtain down on the 37year rule of Robert Mugabe.
Taking his oath of office, the 75-year-old known as “The Crocodile” vowed to uphold the constitution and protect the rights of its 16 million citizens.
He said elections would go ahead next year and acknowledged there had been “errors” under Mugabe.
He has hailed the “voice of the people” during a dramatic ascent to power. But some wonder whether a man who served Mugabe for decades can bring deep change to a ruling establishment accused of systematic abuses of human rights and disastrous economic policies.
In particular, they question his role in the so-called Gukurahundi massacres in Matabeleland in 1983, when 20,000 people were killed in a crackdown on Mugabe’s opponents by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade.
Mnangagwa was in charge of internal security then, but has denied any part in the atrocities. Since his return to Zimbabwe this month after two weeks in hiding, he has been preaching democracy, tolerance and respect for the rule of law.
“The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,” he said on Wednesday.
Mugabe, 93, has been granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety would be protected as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said.
Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for the new president.
“I wanted to see for myself that Mugabe has really gone. He is the only president I’ve known,” said 33-year-old Lenin Tongoona, 33.
“We have a new president who may try something a little different to improve the economy. I’m excited today, but tomorrow is uncertain because we don’t know how he will turn out.
“He talks about creating jobs. How does he plan to do that?” Reuters