Fungi Kwaramba

Political Editor

ZIMBABWEANS will never be second class citizens in their motherland and attempts to subvert the will of the people and undermine the country’s sovereignty will never be condoned, President Mnangagwa has said.

As he took oath to assume his second term of office at a packed National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa, who led his party Zanu PF to a thunderous victory in the recently concluded harmonised elections, vowed to consolidate the development projects from his first term to uplift Zimbabweans, whatever their background, into prosperity.

More than 11 heads of State, prime ministers and former heads of State attended President Mnangagwa’s inauguration that came after a bittersweet triumph against machinations of erstwhile colonisers and their local lackeys to subvert the will of the people through outright interference in the electoral process, subterfuge and bribery of some election observers.

In his keynote address, the President said under his leadership, Zimbabwe will continue entrenching democracy, good governance and the spirit of tolerance in its politics as entrenched in its Constitution.

“We make no apologies for entrenching and protecting our unique Zimbabwean values, cultures and norms. In this regard, I challenge us all to remain Zimbabwean and African, in both thoughts and deeds.

“Zimbabwe is a sovereign state and ‘a friend to all and enemy of none’. Our membership and engagement within SADC, the African Union and United Nations and other countries in the comity of nations remain guided by the principles of mutual respect and the sovereign equality of nations, as enshrined in the United Nations charter.

“The undermining of our national institutions and laws will not be condoned, under whatever guise. No country or group of persons should disregard the sovereign decisions and views of the people of our motherland, Zimbabwe. We will never be second class citizens in our own country. We stand ready to welcome those nations who want to work with the new Zanu PF Government to build lasting partnerships to make the world a better place,” he said.

The President and First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa greet the crowds after the inauguration ceremony at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday

Against a backdrop of unilateralism and the use of supposedly multilateral institutions to arm-twist dissenting voices, President Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe stands ready to join emerging global institutions, as he reiterated his call for the reconfiguration of the United Nations Security Council.

“We look forward to joining both traditional and emerging global institutions who accept our hand of friendship.

“The architecture and composition of the United Nations Security Council must be reformed to reflect democracy at a global level as well as the equality of nations. Our country is committed to playing its part for the realisation of global peace and security, anchored on dialogue and the peaceful resolution of conflict.”

He saluted Zimbabweans for resisting schemes of some Western countries and their local pawns to precipitate chaos, as the people voted in peace shaming doomsayers.

President Mnangagwa, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga (far left) and Zanu PF Vice President Kembo Mohadi sing the National Anthem during a luncheon hosted at State House in Harare after the President’s inauguration yesterday. — Picture: Justin Mutenda

“Our unparalleled conduct before, during and after the electoral processes is praiseworthy and will be an everlasting standard and benchmark as we continue to deepen and entrench constitutional democracy in our country. There are no losers, but a victory for the people of Zimbabwe against neo-colonial and hegemonic tendencies of our country’s detractors and those who believe that ‘might is right’.

“Counter-revolutionary forces and their proxies will never prevail in our free mother country, Zimbabwe,” the President said.

He urged Zimbabweans in their diversity to look ahead “with unflinching focus and determination, emboldened by our rich history as a resilient warrior people”.

During his first term, Zimbabwe achieved a glut of milestones, notably in the agriculture sector, which surpassed the initial US$8.2 billion economy target, and in the mining sector which is now on the brink of attaining a US$12 billion economy.

The President and the First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa follow proceedings during his inauguration ceremony at the National Sports Stadium in Harare yesterday

Apart from that, the country continued unprecedented infrastructural development projects notwithstanding the negative effects of the illegal Western imposed economic sanctions that still persist to help illegally change the Zanu PF Government.

“We continue to defy the onslaught of the illegal sanctions as well as the negative narratives peddled by those bent on stunting our country’s development.

“Our strength in our diverse cultures, capacities and competencies has seen us realise unprecedented successes towards Vision 2030. Zimbabwe is surely on the rise. Our national development philosophy, Nyika inovakwa, igotongwa, igonamatigwa, nevene vayo, Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo, shall continue to be the beacon of our pro-people policies, anchored on Pan-African values and norms. This philosophy sums up our sovereignty as well as the collective duty and obligation we have to develop our country and the African continent,” the President added.

He said the world must respect the will of the people which was expressed through the elections that were won by Zanu PF, the party that brought the freedoms being enjoyed today and which will always ensure that Zimbabweans are masters of their destiny.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, and the Democratic President Felix Tshisekedi were some of the regional leaders that attended the inauguration ceremony.