Mnangagwa Vows to Tackle Zimbabwe’s Opposition Parties, Foreign Detractors

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Around Africa Monday, August 10th, 2020

By Daniel Jones, Harare

A defiant Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed he will continue to deal ruthlessly with the “country’s detractors” who he accused of causing the prevailing socio-economic and political unrest.

For the first time in 40 years, the Southern African country celebrated its Heroes Day online as Mnangagwa, under fire to deal with a new wave of unrest in the country, delivered a televised address from the State house Monday.

Since 1980 when Zimbabwe attained its independence from Britain, thousands of citizens would gather at the National Heroes Acre in the capital on the first Monday of August for the celebrations, punctuated by state address and merrymaking. The day precedes a similar occasion on Tuesday in honour of Defence Forces.

In his address, Mnangagwa chose to blame opposition political parties and perceived foreign detractors as well as a faction of exiled former Zanu-PF cadres, the G40 for what he termed an unrestrained misinformation onslaught by detractors.

“We are holding our commemorations against the background of renewed glaring and unjustified attacks by our perennial detractors, both inside and outside our borders.

“My administration makes no apologies for fixing our systems across socio-economic and political spectrum. The door to the old manner of doing things is closed. The corrupt way is shut and those who choose that route will face dire consequences,” said Mnangagwa.

Despite army and police ruthlessness on ordinary citizens Mnangagwa thanked the security forces for maintaining peace.

“Peace, unity, harmony and love are pre-requisites for the achievement of our country’s prosperity and sustainable socio-economic development. We are forever thankful to our security sector which continues to protect our independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.

Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe is poised for success despite “unrelenting attacks in the past two decades.”

Recall that Mnangagwa took over after deposing the late founding President Robert Mugabe in 2017 through a military coup.

He said his government had since its inception accelerated the entrenchment and consolidation of democracy, constitutionalism and rule of law in pursuit of justice and equal opportunities for the economic empowerment of the previously marginalized majority.

Mnangagwa who has offered to compensate former white farmers whose land was expropriated in 2000, encouraged Zimbabweans to be resolute and be encouraged by heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence.