Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been elected to a second term with more than half the vote share to his name. Infamous for his ruthlessness, Emmerson, otherwise known as the 'Crocodile' has promised a new era for his people. As Zimbabwe reels under inflation, poverty, and climate change, the newly re-elected leader has a mammoth task ahead.

Emmerson Mnangagwa wins second term amid opposition

Zimbabwe's election&nbsp;commission said late on Saturday that incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa had won this week's presidential election with roughly 53% of the vote, but the opposition and analysts immediately questioned the result.

Mnangagwa, who took over from longtime leader Robert Mugabe after a 2017 army coup, was widely expected to secure re-election for a second term as analysts said the contest was heavily skewed in favour of the ZANU-PF ruling party, which has been in power for more than four decades.

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Mnangagwa's main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, who leads the opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) party, secured 44 percent of the presidential vote.

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ZANU-PF supporters started singing and cheering at the results centre after the elections commission said Mnangagwa had won.

A CCC spokesperson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the party rejected "any result hastily assembled without proper verification".

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Mnangagwa had also narrowly defeated Chamisa at the last presidential election in 2018. The opposition alleges that election was rigged but the constitutional court upheld the result.

While the run-up to the election has been largely free from violence, the police routinely ban opposition rallies and arrest opposition supporters using Zimbabwe's tough public order laws.

ZANU-PF denies it has an unfair advantage or seeks to influence the outcome of elections through rigging.

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The head of the European Union's observer mission on Friday said this week's vote took place in a "climate of fear". Southern African regional bloc SADC's mission noted issues including voting delays, the banning of rallies and biased state media coverage.

Nicole Beardsworth, a politics lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, said she thought the late Saturday announcement was probably a response to the critique by SADC and other election observers.

"We all have a lot of questions about the speed with which ZEC is announcing presidential results," she said.

Voting in this week's presidential and parliamentary elections was meant to be wrapped up within one day on Wednesday, but it was extended into Thursday in some wards after the late distribution of ballot papers.

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Zimbabwe's election commission said late on Saturday that incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa had won this week's presidential election with roughly 53% of the vote, but the opposition and analysts immediately questioned the result.

Zimbabwe's election commission said late on Saturday that incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa had won this week's presidential election with roughly 53% of the vote, but the opposition and analysts immediately questioned the result. Mnangagwa, who took over from longtime leader Robert Mugabe after a 2017 army coup, was widely expected to secure re-election for a second term as analysts said the contest was heavily skewed in favour of the ZANU-PF ruling party, which has been in power for more than four decades. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said Mnangagwa's main challenger, Nelson Chamisa, who leads the opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) party, secured 44 percent of the presidential vote. Also Read | At least two killed, one injured after Russian shelling hits cafe in Ukraine’s northeast ZANU-PF supporters started singing and cheering at the results centre after the elections commission said Mnangagwa had won. A CCC spokesperson said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the party rejected "any result hastily assembled without proper verification". Also Read | China sends ‘police experts’ to Vanuatu after pro-West PM loses power Mnangagwa had also narrowly defeated Chamisa at the last presidential election in 2018. The opposition alleges that election was rigged but the constitutional court upheld the result. While the run-up to the election has been largely free from violence, the police routinely ban opposition rallies and arrest opposition supporters using Zimbabwe's tough public order laws. ZANU-PF denies it has an unfair advantage or seeks to influence the outcome of elections through rigging. Watch | NASA's supersonic passenger flights are getting closer × The head of the European Union's observer mission on Friday said this week's vote took place in a "climate of fear". Southern African regional bloc SADC's mission noted issues including voting delays, the banning of rallies and biased state media coverage. Nicole Beardsworth, a politics lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand, said she thought the late Saturday announcement was probably a response to the critique by SADC and other election observers. "We all have a lot of questions about the speed with which ZEC is announcing presidential results," she said. Voting in this week's presidential and parliamentary elections was meant to be wrapped up within one day on Wednesday, but it was extended into Thursday in some wards after the late distribution of ballot papers. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Zimbabwe’s president declared election winner again, opposition rejects result

Zimbabwe's president has labelled the main opposition party "terrorist" and vowed to continue a crackdown on his opponents. Watch report.

Zimbabwe's president to flush out opponents: Economy in deep crisis

The&nbsp;wife&nbsp;of&nbsp;Zimbabwean&nbsp;Vice&nbsp;President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-connect-to-zimbabwe-coup-6838">Constantino Chiwenga</a> was&nbsp;charged&nbsp;with trying to kill her husband when she appeared in court on Monday.

Prosecutors say Marry Mubaiwa tried to unplug Chiwenga's life support tubes in a South African hospital in June.

She was initially arrested on Saturday by the&nbsp;Zimbabwe&nbsp;Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on charges of fraud, money laundering and breaching exchange control rules, and is accused of illegally transferring $900,000 to South Africa.

She denies all the accusations against her and her lawyer said she would seek bail at&nbsp;Zimbabwe's High Court. She was refused bail for the initial charges after prosecutors argued she would flee the country or interfere with witnesses.

The charges follow media reports that Mubaiwa and Chiwenga, who returned to&nbsp;Zimbabwe&nbsp;last month after four months in a Chinese hospital where he was later treated for a blocked oesophagus, were set to divorce.

Opposition politicians took to social media to accuse Chiwenga of using&nbsp;his&nbsp;position to influence a divorce settlement. Chiwenga could not be reached for comment.

Critics of ZACC say it is conflicted because its head judge, Loice Matanda-Moyo, is married to Foreign Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/army-takes-control-in-zimbabwe-president-mugabe-detained-report-24283">Sibusiso Moyo</a>, a top ally of President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/emmerson-mnangagwa-sworn-in-as-president-of-zimbabwe-161667">Emmerson Mnangagwa</a> and of Chiwenga.

The ZACC denies this&nbsp;and said it will prosecute all corruption cases without fear or favour.

Prosecutors also told the court that Mubaiwa was being investigated for misusing U.S. dollar allowances meant for her husband's security details.

The wife of Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was charged with trying to kill her husband when she appeared in court on Monday. Prosecutors say Marry Mubaiwa tried to unplug Chiwenga's life support tubes in a South African hospital in June.

The wife of Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was charged with trying to kill her husband when she appeared in court on Monday. Prosecutors say Marry Mubaiwa tried to unplug Chiwenga's life support tubes in a South African hospital in June. She was initially arrested on Saturday by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) on charges of fraud, money laundering and breaching exchange control rules, and is accused of illegally transferring $900,000 to South Africa. She denies all the accusations against her and her lawyer said she would seek bail at Zimbabwe's High Court. She was refused bail for the initial charges after prosecutors argued she would flee the country or interfere with witnesses. The charges follow media reports that Mubaiwa and Chiwenga, who returned to Zimbabwe last month after four months in a Chinese hospital where he was later treated for a blocked oesophagus, were set to divorce. Opposition politicians took to social media to accuse Chiwenga of using his position to influence a divorce settlement. Chiwenga could not be reached for comment. Critics of ZACC say it is conflicted because its head judge, Loice Matanda-Moyo, is married to Foreign Minister Sibusiso Moyo, a top ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and of Chiwenga. The ZACC denies this and said it will prosecute all corruption cases without fear or favour. Prosecutors also told the court that Mubaiwa was being investigated for misusing U.S. dollar allowances meant for her husband's security details.

Zimbabwe vice president's wife charged with his attempted murder

Zimbabwe gave <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mugabe-to-be-buried-in-a-month-at-zimbabwes-heroes-monument-249540">former leader Robert Mugabe</a> a state funeral on Saturday with African leaders paying tribute to a man lauded as a liberation hero but whose 37-year rule was defined by repression and economic turmoil.

Mugabe, who <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/body-of-zimbabwes-mugabe-to-leave-singapore-for-burial-at-home-248929">died</a>&nbsp;in Singapore <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-zimbabwe-president-robert-mugabe-passes-away-at-95-247895">aged 95</a>, left Zimbabwe deeply divided over his legacy with the southern African country still struggling with high inflation and shortages of goods after decades of mismanagement.

Mugabe died last week on an overseas medical trip almost two years after former army loyalists forced him out in 2017, following a power struggle over what was widely perceived as his bid to position his wife Grace to succeed him.

Former and current African leaders, including South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta, arrived in crowds chanting and drumming liberation songs at the 60,000-capacity national stadium in Harare for Saturday's ceremony.

Mugabe's casket draped in the green, black, gold and red Zimbabwe flag was marched slowly into the stadium, accompanied by a military band and an escort of officers. His wife Grace, in a black veil, and family followed behind.

"Let us put aside our differences and come together as we remember the past and look to the future as one proud, independent and free nation," Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in a tweet.

Mugabe's body was returned from Singapore on Wednesday to a country he helped found as an anti-colonial guerrilla and pan-African leader who ended the white-minority rule and helped bring more education and healthcare to the poor black majority.

Later, Mugabe turned to repression and fear to crush dissidents and ruled for nearly four decades during which he becomes an international pariah for his takeover of white-owned farms.

"You can't talk about Zimbabwe without Bob. Zimbabwe is Bob. It took a man like Bob, his bravery, to get independence," said Norman Gombera, 57, a school principal in Harare. "Bob did his best under the circumstances. There is no country without a problem."

'Bitter legacy'

His final burial at a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/robert-mugabes-family-agree-to-burial-in-heroes-monument-249523">national monument</a> will only happen after a new mausoleum is built in about 30 days. That decision was taken after his family ended a dispute with Mnangagwa, a former ally who turned against his rule in 2017.

Though lauded as an African icon, at home many Zimbabweans will remember Mugabe more for the economic mismanagement that forced millions to flee the country during decades of crisis.

Many are struggling to survive despite Mnangagwa's vows of more investment and jobs in the post-Mugabe era.

"The fruits of his tenure are the shortages. That is what we remember him for," said Steven, a consultant shopping nearby the stadium.

"He has made sure there is no opposition and he succeeded. There is no reason to go to his funeral."

Always divisive in life, Mugabe's funeral arrangements were also caught up in a dispute between Mnangagwa and the family over where and when the former leader should be buried.

The two parties on Friday finally agreed he should lie at National Heroes Acre. But the final ceremony would take place in about 30 days, once the new mausoleum was built for him there.

His family are still bitter over the role Mnangagwa played in his ouster and had pushed for Mugabe to be buried in his homestead of Zvimba, northwest of Harare.

A former guerrilla who fought alongside Mugabe against colonial forces, Mnangagwa was fired as first vice president by Mugabe in 2017. Mugabe had branded him a "traitor".

Soon after, protesters took to the streets and military officers pressured Mugabe to step down in what was widely seen as a struggle between Mnangagwa's faction and loyalists to Mugabe's wife Grace inside the ruling ZANU-PF party.

The "heroes" monument, where more than 130 national figures are buried in black marble tombs, sits on a hilltop overlooking Harare. Mugabe's first wife, Sally, is also buried there.

Zimbabwe gave former leader Robert Mugabe a state funeral on Saturday with African leaders paying tribute to a man lauded as a liberation hero but whose 37-year rule was defined by repression and economic turmoil.

Zimbabwe gave former leader Robert Mugabe a state funeral on Saturday with African leaders paying tribute to a man lauded as a liberation hero but whose 37-year rule was defined by repression and economic turmoil. Mugabe, who died in Singapore aged 95, left Zimbabwe deeply divided over his legacy with the southern African country still struggling with high inflation and shortages of goods after decades of mismanagement. Mugabe died last week on an overseas medical trip almost two years after former army loyalists forced him out in 2017, following a power struggle over what was widely perceived as his bid to position his wife Grace to succeed him. Former and current African leaders, including South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta, arrived in crowds chanting and drumming liberation songs at the 60,000-capacity national stadium in Harare for Saturday's ceremony. Mugabe's casket draped in the green, black, gold and red Zimbabwe flag was marched slowly into the stadium, accompanied by a military band and an escort of officers. His wife Grace, in a black veil, and family followed behind. "Let us put aside our differences and come together as we remember the past and look to the future as one proud, independent and free nation," Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa said in a tweet. Mugabe's body was returned from Singapore on Wednesday to a country he helped found as an anti-colonial guerrilla and pan-African leader who ended the white-minority rule and helped bring more education and healthcare to the poor black majority. Later, Mugabe turned to repression and fear to crush dissidents and ruled for nearly four decades during which he becomes an international pariah for his takeover of white-owned farms. "You can't talk about Zimbabwe without Bob. Zimbabwe is Bob. It took a man like Bob, his bravery, to get independence," said Norman Gombera, 57, a school principal in Harare. "Bob did his best under the circumstances. There is no country without a problem." 'Bitter legacy' His final burial at a national monument will only happen after a new mausoleum is built in about 30 days. That decision was taken after his family ended a dispute with Mnangagwa, a former ally who turned against his rule in 2017. Though lauded as an African icon, at home many Zimbabweans will remember Mugabe more for the economic mismanagement that forced millions to flee the country during decades of crisis. Many are struggling to survive despite Mnangagwa's vows of more investment and jobs in the post-Mugabe era. "The fruits of his tenure are the shortages. That is what we remember him for," said Steven, a consultant shopping nearby the stadium. "He has made sure there is no opposition and he succeeded. There is no reason to go to his funeral." Always divisive in life, Mugabe's funeral arrangements were also caught up in a dispute between Mnangagwa and the family over where and when the former leader should be buried. The two parties on Friday finally agreed he should lie at National Heroes Acre. But the final ceremony would take place in about 30 days, once the new mausoleum was built for him there. His family are still bitter over the role Mnangagwa played in his ouster and had pushed for Mugabe to be buried in his homestead of Zvimba, northwest of Harare. A former guerrilla who fought alongside Mugabe against colonial forces, Mnangagwa was fired as first vice president by Mugabe in 2017. Mugabe had branded him a "traitor". Soon after, protesters took to the streets and military officers pressured Mugabe to step down in what was widely seen as a struggle between Mnangagwa's faction and loyalists to Mugabe's wife Grace inside the ruling ZANU-PF party. The "heroes" monument, where more than 130 national figures are buried in black marble tombs, sits on a hilltop overlooking Harare. Mugabe's first wife, Sally, is also buried there.

Divided Zimbabwe bids farewell to Robert Mugabe with state funeral

Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain said Zimbabweans had "suffered for too long" under former president Robert Mugabe, who died Friday. "We express our condolences to those who mourn Robert Mugabe's death.

Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler Britain said Zimbabweans had "suffered for too long" under former president Robert Mugabe, who died Friday. "We express our condolences to those who mourn Robert Mugabe's death. However, Zimbabweans suffered for too long as a result of Mugabe's autocratic role," the foreign ministry said in a statement. It noted "mixed emotions" in Zimbabwe at the death of Mugabe, adding, "We hope that in this new era, Zimbabwe can continue to be set on a more democratic and prosperous path." Mugabe won the 1980 elections at the end of a black nationalist guerrilla war against white-minority rule in the rebel colony of Rhodesia. Peter Hain, a leading anti-apartheid campaigner, told AFP he was "elated" at the time. "It was a huge moment in history when he became president in a landslide and all of us cheered him on at the time." But he said Mugabe then "betrayed all of those values of justice and human rights and democracy under the freedom struggle and became a corrupt dictator". In 2000, Mugabe's supporters violently took over white-owned farms a watershed moment in relations between the West and their protege. Zimbabwe was suspended in 2002 from the Commonwealth, a grouping of former British colonies, and pulled out voluntarily in 2003. Last year, President Emmerson Mnangagwa applied to rejoin the Commonwealth after ousting Mugabe.

Zimbabweans 'suffered for too long' under Mugabe: UK

Zimbabwe's main opposition MDC party succumbed on Friday to pressure from what it labelled a fascist government, calling off a street protest as armed police set up roadblocks and barred access to its Harare offices.

Zimbabwe's main opposition MDC party succumbed on Friday to pressure from what it labelled a fascist government, calling off a street protest as armed police set up roadblocks and barred access to its Harare offices. Friday's demonstration was to have been the first in a series planned by the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which accuses the government of corruption and economic mismanagement. The protests are widely viewed as a test of how President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has so far this year failed to make good on promises of political and economic reform, responds to dissent in a country tainted by a long history of repression. Police late on Thursday banned the Harare event and said anyone taking part would be committing a crime, and a High Court judge early on Friday dismissed an application by the party to overturn that ban. The ban, which the MDC would not appeal, had exposed the government's "true colours," party Vice President Tendai Biti told reporters outside the court. "The constitution guarantees the right to a demonstration ... yet this fascist regime has denied and proscribed this right to the people of Zimbabwe," he said. "...We have jumped from the frying pan into the fire after the coup of November 2017... We don't accept the conduct of this regime, the conduct of Mr Mnangagwa." Elected after the armed forces intervened to oust Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa has said he aims to break with the long legacy of repression that characterised much of his predecessor's 37 years in power. But the economy is mired in its worst crisis in a decade, and Mnangagwa is struggling to convince the growing ranks of poor citizens that his government's austerity measures and reforms can trigger a recovery. Zimbabweans had also expected last year's vote to usher in a new dawn of expanded political rights and an end to the country's international pariah status, but instead, the elections left the country more polarised. APPARATUS OF THE STATE In January, a violent security crackdown in Harare against fuel demonstrations left more than a dozen people dead. Days ahead of the planned Harare demonstration, six political activists were abducted from their homes at night and beaten by armed men, a coalition of rights groups said. On Friday, the apparatus of the state was out in force again and the city's streets were unusually quiet. Reuters witnesses saw police and armed soldiers searching buses, taxis and private vehicles at checkpoints and randomly asking for identity documents. More than a hundred opposition supporters chanted party slogans and sang near a square in central Harare where protesters had been set to assemble but were chased away by baton-wielding police. One woman was taken to hospital by ambulance after sustaining a deep gash on her heard. Police also blocked roads to the MDC headquarters. Most businesses, including banks, were closed as workers stayed at home. A major supermarket chain nearby that had opened, quickly closed its doors fearing tensions would escalate. Anger is mounting as Zimbabweans grapple with soaring inflation, rolling power cuts and shortages of US dollars, fuel, and bread. In a letter to church leaders published on Friday in the state-owned Herald newspaper, Mnangagwa said the economic hardship had its roots in sanctions imposed by the West more than a decade ago as well as a severe drought this year. He also said MDC leader Nelson Chamisa had rejected his invitation to dialogue meant to resolve Zimbabwe's political and economic problems. Chamisa has said he will only sit down with Mnangagwa if there is a neutral arbiter. "The doors of national dialogue are still open to all political leaders including to the leader of the MDC," Mnangagwa said. While political leaders argue, wages and pensions continue to be eroded by triple-digit inflation, bringing back bad memories of the hyperinflation of a decade ago, which forced the country to ditch its currency.

Under-eye of 'fascist' government, Zimbabwe opposition scraps Harare protest

Nearly a million dollars in cash was stolen from a suitcase owned by <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/a-year-after-mugabes-fall-zimbabwe-yearns-for-upswing-177974">ousted Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe</a>, state media reported Friday, as three suspects including a relative of the former leader face trial for the theft.

According to updated court papers Mugabe had filled the bag with a million dollars and stashed it in the library of his country home in Zvimba, west of the capital, in 2016.&nbsp;

Also read:<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwes-mugabe-says-now-accepts-mnangagwa-as-legitimate-president-164231"> Zimbabwe's Mugabe says now accepts Mnangagwa as </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwes-mugabe-says-now-accepts-mnangagwa-as-legitimate-president-164231">legitimate</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwes-mugabe-says-now-accepts-mnangagwa-as-legitimate-president-164231"> president</a>

Only $78,000 was found in the bag on January 6 this year, according to The Herald citing court documents.

The three accused -- which include Constancia Mugabe, 50, a relative of the president -- appeared before Chinhoyi magistrates court on Thursday and were ordered to return on February 7.&nbsp;

The suspected thieves are accused of spending the money on cars, houses and farm animals.&nbsp;

Mugabe's whereabouts have been unconfirmed since late November when President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his successor, said the ailing 94-year-old was in Singapore for medical treatment and was now unable to walk.&nbsp;

His 37-year reign was marked by state corruption, economic collapse and brutal repression of dissent.

According to prosecutors Constancia Mugabe had keys to Mugabe's rural house allowing the other suspects, who were employed as cleaners, to gain full access to the property when the theft occurred.

The court earlier this month heard that the three suspected thieves had stolen $150,000, but the updated court papers released on Thursday showed that he lost $922,000.

US dollars are prized in crisis-hit Zimbabwe, where a currency crisis was one of the reasons behind deadly protests that rocked the country last week.

The protests were sparked by a steep increase in the price of fuel and an ensuing security crackdown claimed a dozen lives - mainly from gunfire - and the injury of hundreds.

More than 1,100 people have been arrested in the crackdown.

Nearly a million dollars in cash was stolen from a suitcase owned by ousted Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, state media reported Friday, as three suspects including a relative of the former leader face trial for the theft.

Nearly a million dollars in cash was stolen from a suitcase owned by ousted Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, state media reported Friday, as three suspects including a relative of the former leader face trial for the theft. According to updated court papers Mugabe had filled the bag with a million dollars and stashed it in the library of his country home in Zvimba, west of the capital, in 2016. Also read: Zimbabwe's Mugabe says now accepts Mnangagwa as legitimate president Only $78,000 was found in the bag on January 6 this year, according to The Herald citing court documents. The three accused -- which include Constancia Mugabe, 50, a relative of the president -- appeared before Chinhoyi magistrates court on Thursday and were ordered to return on February 7. The suspected thieves are accused of spending the money on cars, houses and farm animals. Mugabe's whereabouts have been unconfirmed since late November when President Emmerson Mnangagwa, his successor, said the ailing 94-year-old was in Singapore for medical treatment and was now unable to walk. His 37-year reign was marked by state corruption, economic collapse and brutal repression of dissent. According to prosecutors Constancia Mugabe had keys to Mugabe's rural house allowing the other suspects, who were employed as cleaners, to gain full access to the property when the theft occurred. The court earlier this month heard that the three suspected thieves had stolen $150,000, but the updated court papers released on Thursday showed that he lost $922,000. US dollars are prized in crisis-hit Zimbabwe, where a currency crisis was one of the reasons behind deadly protests that rocked the country last week. The protests were sparked by a steep increase in the price of fuel and an ensuing security crackdown claimed a dozen lives - mainly from gunfire - and the injury of hundreds. More than 1,100 people have been arrested in the crackdown.

Nearly $1 million in cash stolen from Mugabe's house, three suspects arrested

The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents.

With fears running high that the poll dispute could plunge the perennially unstable central African nation into fresh turmoil, an EU spokeswoman pleaded for all sides to refrain from "any action that could lead to violence".

DR Congo's constitutional court threw out a legal challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu early Sunday, paving the way for Tshisekedi to take over from long-ruling strongman Joseph Kabila.

"We take note of the announcement by the Constitutional Court last night," an EU spokeswoman said.

"As expressed by the AU (African Union) high-level consultative meeting on Thursday in Addis, doubts remain regarding the conformity of the result," she added.

The AU's chairman, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is due in Kinshasa on Monday, and the EU called on all parties to cooperate with his mission.

The AU had called for the final results to be delayed. But another regional bloc, the 16-nation Southern African Development Community, congratulated Tshisekedi on Sunday and called for a peaceful handover of power.

Tshisekedi's victory was provisionally announced earlier this month by the election commission CENI, but it was challenged both at home and abroad.

The Financial Times and other foreign media have reported seeing documents that confirm Fayulu as the winner, and the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has also dismissed the official outcome.

The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents.

The EU said Sunday that "doubts remain" over the result of the DR Congo's disputed election, after the country's highest court declared Felix Tshisekedi president, outraging opponents. With fears running high that the poll dispute could plunge the perennially unstable central African nation into fresh turmoil, an EU spokeswoman pleaded for all sides to refrain from "any action that could lead to violence". DR Congo's constitutional court threw out a legal challenge by runner-up Martin Fayulu early Sunday, paving the way for Tshisekedi to take over from long-ruling strongman Joseph Kabila. "We take note of the announcement by the Constitutional Court last night," an EU spokeswoman said. "As expressed by the AU (African Union) high-level consultative meeting on Thursday in Addis, doubts remain regarding the conformity of the result," she added. The AU's chairman, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, is due in Kinshasa on Monday, and the EU called on all parties to cooperate with his mission. The AU had called for the final results to be delayed. But another regional bloc, the 16-nation Southern African Development Community, congratulated Tshisekedi on Sunday and called for a peaceful handover of power. Tshisekedi's victory was provisionally announced earlier this month by the election commission CENI, but it was challenged both at home and abroad. The Financial Times and other foreign media have reported seeing documents that confirm Fayulu as the winner, and the influential Roman Catholic Church, which says it deployed 40,000 observers to monitor the poll, has also dismissed the official outcome.

European Union says 'doubts remain' over DR Congo election result

A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president's spokesman said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule.

Police say three people died during protests over fuel price hikes in Harare's capital and second city Bulawayo that turned violent. But human rights groups say evidence suggests at least a dozen people were killed while scores were treated for gunshot wounds.

"(The) government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is just a foretaste of things to come," said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman George Charamba.

Charamba told the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper the government would review some provisions of the constitution adopted in 2013, which he said were being abused by proponents of democracy.

Lawyers and activists say hundreds of Zimbabweans were detained last week accused of public order offences, including at least four lawmakers from the opposition MDC party and Evan Mawarire, a pastor who rose to prominence as a critic of former leader Robert Mugabe critic and led a national shutdown in 2016.

Local rights groups say security forces, accused of night raids at homes of suspected protesters, are now trying to track down people who have gone into hiding.

A partial internet blackout was still in force on Sunday, two days after mobile networks sent messages to customers saying they had been ordered to keep social media sites shut until further notice.

When he was elected in July, Mnangagwa promised a clean break with the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who used the security forces to quell civilian protests before being forced out in a de facto coup in November 2017.

But the MDC says former Mugabe ally Mnangagwa is now overseeing a reversion to authoritarian rule by using the same tactic.

Charamba, who is on an official trip with Mnangagwa to Azerbaijan, said the MDC leadership and affiliate organisations would be "held fully accountable for the violence and the looting." The MDC denies fomenting unrest.

U.N. rights officials denounced last week's crackdown, while an independent inquiry found that the army used excessive force when it stepped in to stop post-election violence last August, during which six people were shot dead.

Zimbabweans, who have seen their purchasing power eroded by soaring inflation, also say Mnangagwa has not delivered on pre-election pledges to kick-start economic growth after Mugabe's exit.

A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president's spokesman said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule.

A crackdown last week on protests in Zimbabwe is a foretaste of how the government will respond to future unrest, the president's spokesman said, fuelling concerns that the country is reverting to authoritarian rule. Police say three people died during protests over fuel price hikes in Harare's capital and second city Bulawayo that turned violent. But human rights groups say evidence suggests at least a dozen people were killed while scores were treated for gunshot wounds. "(The) government will not stand by while such narrow interests play out so violently. The response so far is just a foretaste of things to come," said President Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman George Charamba. Charamba told the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper the government would review some provisions of the constitution adopted in 2013, which he said were being abused by proponents of democracy. Lawyers and activists say hundreds of Zimbabweans were detained last week accused of public order offences, including at least four lawmakers from the opposition MDC party and Evan Mawarire, a pastor who rose to prominence as a critic of former leader Robert Mugabe critic and led a national shutdown in 2016. Local rights groups say security forces, accused of night raids at homes of suspected protesters, are now trying to track down people who have gone into hiding. A partial internet blackout was still in force on Sunday, two days after mobile networks sent messages to customers saying they had been ordered to keep social media sites shut until further notice. When he was elected in July, Mnangagwa promised a clean break with the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who used the security forces to quell civilian protests before being forced out in a de facto coup in November 2017. But the MDC says former Mugabe ally Mnangagwa is now overseeing a reversion to authoritarian rule by using the same tactic. Charamba, who is on an official trip with Mnangagwa to Azerbaijan, said the MDC leadership and affiliate organisations would be "held fully accountable for the violence and the looting." The MDC denies fomenting unrest. U.N. rights officials denounced last week's crackdown, while an independent inquiry found that the army used excessive force when it stepped in to stop post-election violence last August, during which six people were shot dead. Zimbabweans, who have seen their purchasing power eroded by soaring inflation, also say Mnangagwa has not delivered on pre-election pledges to kick-start economic growth after Mugabe's exit.

Zimbabwe crackdown a sign of things to come: Emmerson Mnangagwa's spokesman

Zimbabwe police manned checkpoints on many main roads on Saturday, searching vehicles for protesters allegedly involved in recent anti-government demonstrations.

A<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/total-internet-shutdown-in-zimbabwe-provider-191278"> crackdown by security forces</a> has been fiercely criticised by the UN human rights office, with allegations of shootings, beatings and abductions of opposition figures, activists and ordinary residents.

In pics: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/photos/zimbabwe-anti-govt-protest-after-fuel-prices-hike-pastor-faces-trial-workers-reject-raise-in-salary-191379">Discord simmers in Zimbabwe as anti-government protest grips nation</a>

Police roadblocks were a notorious feature of daily life under former president Robert Mugabe.

But they largely disappeared after he was ousted by the military in November 2017 and succeeded by his former deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa.

"We want to tell members of the public that... we have already set up security checkpoints where police officers and other security institutions will be checking," police spokeswoman Charity Charamba told Saturday's state-owned Herald newspaper.

She said the checkpoints were to catch suspected looters and recover property stolen during protests that erupted after Mnangagwa last weekend announced a 150-per cent increase in petrol prices.

The Herald said 700 people had been arrested after the violent protests, which it blamed on the opposition MDC party and trade unions.

Police armed with assault rifles

Police checkpoints were in action on Saturday in the capital Harare and the second city Bulawayo, AFP reporters witnessed.

In Bulawayo, police officers armed with assault rifles manned roadblocks on every major route, conducting "stop and search" operations.

In both cities, customers seeking to stock up on basic goods tentatively returned to shops that opened for the first time since the protests started on Monday.

Long queues formed to buy bread and petrol, which are both in short supply due to Zimbabwe's long-burning economic crisis.

"Nothing has changed after the fuel price increase," said one motorist in a queue who identified himself only as Sonny.

Social media has been blocked by the government in an apparent attempt to suppress information about the security operation and alleged abuses.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said it had recorded at least 12 deaths, 78 gunshot injuries and more than 240 incidents of assault and torture.

The United Nations human rights office on Friday urged Harare to "stop the crackdown", voicing alarm over the security forces' "excessive use of force" which included reports of them using live ammunition.

And it called on Zimbabwe's government "to find ways of engaging with the population about their legitimate grievances".

Zimbabwe police manned checkpoints on many main roads on Saturday, searching vehicles for protesters allegedly involved in recent anti-government demonstrations.

Zimbabwe police manned checkpoints on many main roads on Saturday, searching vehicles for protesters allegedly involved in recent anti-government demonstrations. A crackdown by security forces has been fiercely criticised by the UN human rights office, with allegations of shootings, beatings and abductions of opposition figures, activists and ordinary residents. In pics: Discord simmers in Zimbabwe as anti-government protest grips nation Police roadblocks were a notorious feature of daily life under former president Robert Mugabe. But they largely disappeared after he was ousted by the military in November 2017 and succeeded by his former deputy Emmerson Mnangagwa. "We want to tell members of the public that... we have already set up security checkpoints where police officers and other security institutions will be checking," police spokeswoman Charity Charamba told Saturday's state-owned Herald newspaper. She said the checkpoints were to catch suspected looters and recover property stolen during protests that erupted after Mnangagwa last weekend announced a 150-per cent increase in petrol prices. The Herald said 700 people had been arrested after the violent protests, which it blamed on the opposition MDC party and trade unions. Police armed with assault rifles Police checkpoints were in action on Saturday in the capital Harare and the second city Bulawayo, AFP reporters witnessed. In Bulawayo, police officers armed with assault rifles manned roadblocks on every major route, conducting "stop and search" operations. In both cities, customers seeking to stock up on basic goods tentatively returned to shops that opened for the first time since the protests started on Monday. Long queues formed to buy bread and petrol, which are both in short supply due to Zimbabwe's long-burning economic crisis. "Nothing has changed after the fuel price increase," said one motorist in a queue who identified himself only as Sonny. Social media has been blocked by the government in an apparent attempt to suppress information about the security operation and alleged abuses. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said it had recorded at least 12 deaths, 78 gunshot injuries and more than 240 incidents of assault and torture. The United Nations human rights office on Friday urged Harare to "stop the crackdown", voicing alarm over the security forces' "excessive use of force" which included reports of them using live ammunition. And it called on Zimbabwe's government "to find ways of engaging with the population about their legitimate grievances".

Zimbabwe police erect road blocks to hunt protesters

In pics: Discord simmers in Zimbabwe as anti-government protest grips nation

Zimbabwe police and parliament security ejected opposition legislators from parliament on Thursday&nbsp;after they refused to stand when president Emmerson Mnangagwa entered Parliament.

The scuffles between opposition lawmakers and police started ahead of the budget speech, when the parliament speaker ordered police to remove members.

A video posted on social media by Open Parly ZW group shows police scuffling with lawmakers.

In September, opposition lawmakers walked out of Mnangagwa's state of the nation address to parliament, signalling their lingering bitterness after losing a disputed presidential and parliamentary election.

Zimbabwe police and parliament security ejected opposition legislators from parliament on Thursday after they refused to stand when president Emmerson Mnangagwa entered Parliament.

Zimbabwe police and parliament security ejected opposition legislators from parliament on Thursday after they refused to stand when president Emmerson Mnangagwa entered Parliament. The scuffles between opposition lawmakers and police started ahead of the budget speech, when the parliament speaker ordered police to remove members. A video posted on social media by Open Parly ZW group shows police scuffling with lawmakers. In September, opposition lawmakers walked out of Mnangagwa's state of the nation address to parliament, signalling their lingering bitterness after losing a disputed presidential and parliamentary election.

Watch: Police scuffle with Zimbabwean opposition MPs

Timeline of coup that ended Robert Mugabe's rule of Zimbabwe

By Stephen Chan 
 
The toxic presidency of Mugabe may be over, but the new Zimbabwean government of Emmerson Mnangagwa must quickly make some hard foreign policy decisions if it is to change the country’s fortunes. For so far no major foreign power has undertaken to relieve in any significant way the country’s economic distress. 
 
Although election observer reports have been guardedly and conditionally – almost grudgingly – accepting of the election results, the question marks raised and, particularly, the totally unnecessary violence unleashed against protesters in the wake of the election has made all governments shy of offering a full endorsement of the regime.

What this has meant is that foreign investor confidence, while not discouraged entirely, is very slow to assume the kind of mass and speed of movement the economy needs. The IMF has spoken of some negotiated relief, but only under a “reform package”. The Chinese also feel that they do not want to put good money after bad. Previous loans have not been repaid and, although rumours of seizing Zimbabwean institutional assets as collateral have been swiftly denied, it is no secret that the Chinese are not best pleased with Zimbabwe’s approach to fiscal responsibility.

Chinese influence 
 
The Zimbabweans seem not to have noticed that, increasingly, Chinese liquidity is made available through Chinese banks. They may or may not be state-owned – but it is not the state that makes a benefaction; it is a bank that makes a loan. And banks stay in business by realising the returns from a loan. As it is, liquidity has been either misused, misappropriated, or used simply to balance books that otherwise would be parlously unbalanced.

Although the Americans have lowered the tone of their criticisms of the government, the softly-softly approach cannot hide the strict conditionality they seek. This resides in guarantees of future electoral conduct, but also essentially the desecuritisation of the ZANU-PF machine. In a word, the problem is Constantino Chiwenga, the former defence forces chief, now vice-president, who has a strong influence within the military – but, no matter what the Americans want, he is going nowhere fast, and he will not sacrifice his deep influence within the military.

The Europeans have lifted the huge majority of their sanctions, but the outgoing European representative has been critical of both the election and the violence that followed. This leaves the British as a key player.

Catriona Laing, the British ambassador to Zimbabwe, is being promoted to the High Commissionership in Nigeria, and it is no secret she laid much of her prestige and credibility on the line in seeking to persuade Whitehall that Mnangagwa was a credible figure. This, of course, should be seen in the context that Grace Mugabe certainly was not. But it signals nevertheless that the days of British antipathy towards a ZANU-PF government have gone.

Laing’s successor as the new British ambassador will be, not a diplomatic figure with foreign office experience, but someone with huge experience in development assistance. Melanie Robinson will not be in the mould of Laing, nor of her predecessors, Deborah Bronnert and Mark Canning. She will need to be dealt with differently by the Zimbabwean government and the ZANU-PF apparatus. Whereas her predecessors were often perceived as political actors, Robinson is purely a development technocrat.

But, despite the obviously signalled change in emphasis, the British now have no money left to give. Brexit will compound that. All the British can do is throw their weight behind the IMF and encourage corporations to invest in Zimbabwe – but the British weight cannot, in itself, counteract US and EU reluctance to give a full green light to investment in Zimbabwe.

Russia would like to make some inroads in Zimbabwe, but has earmarked no sizeable funds for doing so.

All eyes on reform 
 
In short, almost everyone is looking towards reform. What happens domestically will impact the success or otherwise of foreign policy. As for foreign policy pure and proper, Zimbabwe has not been properly represented by top-flight ambassadors for some time. There had been only an acting Zimbabwean ambassador in the UK for almost three years, from 2015-18, and agreement to appoint a substantive ambassador was long delayed because the nominee, Ray Nahulukula, had received land seized from a white farmer. The finally agreed ambassador is Christian Katsande. The minister of lands, Perence Shiri, has now begun talking of some kind of compensation for white farmers who had lands seized, but no plans can be laid because there are no funds for compensation of any sort.

So it all comes down to money. The Mugabe years from 1997, when the economy began to tank, a process that was hurled into accelerated overdrive with the farm seizures in 2000, were years of mismanagement and accumulation without the reinvestment and circulation of capital. It was the era of the oligarchs. A lot of the funds that wound up at their disposal was used for consumption. If now these “fat cats” are somehow involved in foreign policy negotiations, particularly to do with economic and financial diplomacy, there will be no credibility on the Zimbabwean side.

I conclude with a story of one of my visits to Beijing some years ago. Chinese officials showed me their figures on the Zimbabwean economy. I looked at them and said, “So you know it’s a basket case?” “Yes,” was the reply. “But we continue to show solidarity.” But it is clear those days have now faded into memory. Fine words will now not be enough for diplomacy. Everyone wants actions. 
 
(Stephen Chan Professor of World Politics, SOAS, University of London)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/zimbabwe-troubled-nation-now-faces-tough-foreign-policy-choices-104279">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

By Stephen Chan The toxic presidency of Mugabe may be over, but the new Zimbabwean government of Emmerson Mnangagwa must quickly make some hard foreign policy decisions if it is to change the country’s fortunes.

By Stephen Chan The toxic presidency of Mugabe may be over, but the new Zimbabwean government of Emmerson Mnangagwa must quickly make some hard foreign policy decisions if it is to change the country’s fortunes. For so far no major foreign power has undertaken to relieve in any significant way the country’s economic distress. Although election observer reports have been guardedly and conditionally – almost grudgingly – accepting of the election results, the question marks raised and, particularly, the totally unnecessary violence unleashed against protesters in the wake of the election has made all governments shy of offering a full endorsement of the regime. What this has meant is that foreign investor confidence, while not discouraged entirely, is very slow to assume the kind of mass and speed of movement the economy needs. The IMF has spoken of some negotiated relief, but only under a “reform package”. The Chinese also feel that they do not want to put good money after bad. Previous loans have not been repaid and, although rumours of seizing Zimbabwean institutional assets as collateral have been swiftly denied, it is no secret that the Chinese are not best pleased with Zimbabwe’s approach to fiscal responsibility. Chinese influence The Zimbabweans seem not to have noticed that, increasingly, Chinese liquidity is made available through Chinese banks. They may or may not be state-owned – but it is not the state that makes a benefaction; it is a bank that makes a loan. And banks stay in business by realising the returns from a loan. As it is, liquidity has been either misused, misappropriated, or used simply to balance books that otherwise would be parlously unbalanced. Although the Americans have lowered the tone of their criticisms of the government, the softly-softly approach cannot hide the strict conditionality they seek. This resides in guarantees of future electoral conduct, but also essentially the desecuritisation of the ZANU-PF machine. In a word, the problem is Constantino Chiwenga, the former defence forces chief, now vice-president, who has a strong influence within the military – but, no matter what the Americans want, he is going nowhere fast, and he will not sacrifice his deep influence within the military. The Europeans have lifted the huge majority of their sanctions, but the outgoing European representative has been critical of both the election and the violence that followed. This leaves the British as a key player. Catriona Laing, the British ambassador to Zimbabwe, is being promoted to the High Commissionership in Nigeria, and it is no secret she laid much of her prestige and credibility on the line in seeking to persuade Whitehall that Mnangagwa was a credible figure. This, of course, should be seen in the context that Grace Mugabe certainly was not. But it signals nevertheless that the days of British antipathy towards a ZANU-PF government have gone. Laing’s successor as the new British ambassador will be, not a diplomatic figure with foreign office experience, but someone with huge experience in development assistance. Melanie Robinson will not be in the mould of Laing, nor of her predecessors, Deborah Bronnert and Mark Canning. She will need to be dealt with differently by the Zimbabwean government and the ZANU-PF apparatus. Whereas her predecessors were often perceived as political actors, Robinson is purely a development technocrat. But, despite the obviously signalled change in emphasis, the British now have no money left to give. Brexit will compound that. All the British can do is throw their weight behind the IMF and encourage corporations to invest in Zimbabwe – but the British weight cannot, in itself, counteract US and EU reluctance to give a full green light to investment in Zimbabwe. Russia would like to make some inroads in Zimbabwe, but has earmarked no sizeable funds for doing so. All eyes on reform In short, almost everyone is looking towards reform. What happens domestically will impact the success or otherwise of foreign policy. As for foreign policy pure and proper, Zimbabwe has not been properly represented by top-flight ambassadors for some time. There had been only an acting Zimbabwean ambassador in the UK for almost three years, from 2015-18, and agreement to appoint a substantive ambassador was long delayed because the nominee, Ray Nahulukula, had received land seized from a white farmer. The finally agreed ambassador is Christian Katsande. The minister of lands, Perence Shiri, has now begun talking of some kind of compensation for white farmers who had lands seized, but no plans can be laid because there are no funds for compensation of any sort. So it all comes down to money. The Mugabe years from 1997, when the economy began to tank, a process that was hurled into accelerated overdrive with the farm seizures in 2000, were years of mismanagement and accumulation without the reinvestment and circulation of capital. It was the era of the oligarchs. A lot of the funds that wound up at their disposal was used for consumption. If now these “fat cats” are somehow involved in foreign policy negotiations, particularly to do with economic and financial diplomacy, there will be no credibility on the Zimbabwean side. I conclude with a story of one of my visits to Beijing some years ago. Chinese officials showed me their figures on the Zimbabwean economy. I looked at them and said, “So you know it’s a basket case?” “Yes,” was the reply. “But we continue to show solidarity.” But it is clear those days have now faded into memory. Fine words will now not be enough for diplomacy. Everyone wants actions. (Stephen Chan Professor of World Politics, SOAS, University of London) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 Zimbabwe now faces tough foreign policy choices

US pro-democracy groups have urged Zimbabwean authorities to take steps to ensure a free and fair election in July and break from a history of flawed elections under long-time ruler Robert Mugabe.

"Changing Zimbabwe’s electoral trajectory will require pro-active and concerted efforts to instil public confidence," the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute said in a statement late Friday after a week of pre-election observation. &nbsp

Zimbabwe holds a general election on July 30, the first without Mugabe who was forced out of office after a brief military takeover last year.

David Dreier, a former United States Congressman and member of the IRI-NDI monitors, told reporters in Harare that while the observers have "found several notable improvements in the political environment and electoral preparations as compared to prior elections, a number of significant opportunities to break with the past have been missed."

"As a result, we still have concerns about the fairness of the process."

The group said while Zimbabweans welcome President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s public commitments to hold credible elections there were concerns whether the military will accept the outcome of the presidential polls.

They called on senior military officers to make "public and unambiguous statements" that the army will loyally serve whoever wins the elections.

The statement came days after the main opposition staged street protests to pressure the authorities to adopt a slew of reforms to ensure a fair poll.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party wants to observe the printing of ballot papers, that Zimbabweans based abroad be allowed to vote and the removal of military personnel seconded to the electoral commission.

Mnangagwa will square off with former student activist Nelson Chamisa leading a coalition of opposition parties under the MDC-Alliance.

A new pre-poll survey by Afrobarometer published this week showed the ruling Zanu-PF would attract 42 per cent of the vote compared to 31 per cent for the MDC, meaning the election could go to a run-off.

&nbsp

US pro-democracy groups have urged Zimbabwean authorities to take steps to ensure a free and fair election in July and break from a history of flawed elections under long-time ruler Robert Mugabe

US pro-democracy groups have urged Zimbabwean authorities to take steps to ensure a free and fair election in July and break from a history of flawed elections under long-time ruler Robert Mugabe. "Changing Zimbabwe’s electoral trajectory will require pro-active and concerted efforts to instil public confidence," the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute said in a statement late Friday after a week of pre-election observation. Zimbabwe holds a general election on July 30, the first without Mugabe who was forced out of office after a brief military takeover last year. David Dreier, a former United States Congressman and member of the IRI-NDI monitors, told reporters in Harare that while the observers have "found several notable improvements in the political environment and electoral preparations as compared to prior elections, a number of significant opportunities to break with the past have been missed." "As a result, we still have concerns about the fairness of the process." The group said while Zimbabweans welcome President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s public commitments to hold credible elections there were concerns whether the military will accept the outcome of the presidential polls. They called on senior military officers to make "public and unambiguous statements" that the army will loyally serve whoever wins the elections. The statement came days after the main opposition staged street protests to pressure the authorities to adopt a slew of reforms to ensure a fair poll. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party wants to observe the printing of ballot papers, that Zimbabweans based abroad be allowed to vote and the removal of military personnel seconded to the electoral commission. Mnangagwa will square off with former student activist Nelson Chamisa leading a coalition of opposition parties under the MDC-Alliance. A new pre-poll survey by Afrobarometer published this week showed the ruling Zanu-PF would attract 42 per cent of the vote compared to 31 per cent for the MDC, meaning the election could go to a run-off.

US observers urge steps to ensure free poll in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth, the group said Monday, marking a major step in the country's international re-engagement after Robert Mugabe was ousted last year.

Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the bloc of former British colonies in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year.

The Commonwealth said it had received a letter dated May 15 from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa applying to re-join.

Member countries "very much look forward to Zimbabwe’s return when the conditions are right," said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in a statement from London.

"Zimbabwe's eventual return to the Commonwealth, following a successful membership application, would be a momentous occasion."

Scotland confirmed that the Commonwealth would send observers to elections due in July or August, the first polls since Mugabe was ousted in November after a brief military takeover.

Mugabe was replaced by his former deputy Mnangagwa, a veteran ruling ZANU-PF party loyalist who was backed by senior military officers.

Mnangagwa has vowed to hold fair and free elections, and has pledged to revive the moribund economy by repairing international ties and attracting foreign investment.

Scotland called for "a credible, peaceful and inclusive (election) that restores citizens' confidence, trust and hope in the development and democratic trajectory of their country."

Britain said last month that it would strongly support Zimbabwe returning to the Commonwealth.

Zimbabwe had fractured relations with the West under Mugabe, who had held power since independence from Britain in 1980.

The government in Harare was not immediately available to comment.

The Commonwealth brings together 53 countries representing 2.4 billion people, under a charter pledging commitment to democracy, human rights and rule of law.

The last country to join was Rwanda, in 2009.

The organisation also holds an Olympics-style multi-sport event every four years, most recently in Australia's Gold Coast in April. 
&nbsp

Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the bloc of former British colonies in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year

Zimbabwe has applied to rejoin the Commonwealth, the group said Monday, marking a major step in the country's international re-engagement after Robert Mugabe was ousted last year. Mugabe angrily pulled Zimbabwe out of the bloc of former British colonies in 2003 after its membership was suspended over violent and graft-ridden elections the previous year. The Commonwealth said it had received a letter dated May 15 from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa applying to re-join. Member countries "very much look forward to Zimbabwe’s return when the conditions are right," said Secretary-General Patricia Scotland in a statement from London. "Zimbabwe's eventual return to the Commonwealth, following a successful membership application, would be a momentous occasion." Scotland confirmed that the Commonwealth would send observers to elections due in July or August, the first polls since Mugabe was ousted in November after a brief military takeover. Mugabe was replaced by his former deputy Mnangagwa, a veteran ruling ZANU-PF party loyalist who was backed by senior military officers. Mnangagwa has vowed to hold fair and free elections, and has pledged to revive the moribund economy by repairing international ties and attracting foreign investment. Scotland called for "a credible, peaceful and inclusive (election) that restores citizens' confidence, trust and hope in the development and democratic trajectory of their country." Britain said last month that it would strongly support Zimbabwe returning to the Commonwealth. Zimbabwe had fractured relations with the West under Mugabe, who had held power since independence from Britain in 1980. The government in Harare was not immediately available to comment. The Commonwealth brings together 53 countries representing 2.4 billion people, under a charter pledging commitment to democracy, human rights and rule of law. The last country to join was Rwanda, in 2009. The organisation also holds an Olympics-style multi-sport event every four years, most recently in Australia's Gold Coast in April.

Zimbabwe applies to rejoin Commonwealth

A white Zimbabwean farmer forced from his land as part of controversial mass evictions became this week the first to return to his property under a new government bid to reverse illegal land seizures.

Robert Smart, 71, was thrown off his tobacco and corn farm in eastern Zimbabwe in June as part of chaotic and often violent land grabs led by ex-president Robert Mugabe&#39;s government.

Smart said that he and his family were evicted at gunpoint &quot;with whatever we had on our backs at the moment&quot; to make way for a cleric close to Mugabe.

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<h5>After returning to his plot on Thursday, Smart said the new president was &#39;showing he means what he says&#39;</h5>
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But last month the 93-year-old ruler was ousted following a military takeover after more than three decades in power.

The government of his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa in early December ordered people illegally occupying formerly white-owned commercial farms to vacate.

Many people had illegally taken over farms cashing in on the land reforms.

After returning to his plot on Thursday, Smart said the new president was &quot;showing he means what he says&quot;.

The farmer said his family had been forced to rely on the kindness of friends and &quot;complete strangers&quot; to survive after their eviction.

And they will have to continue to rely on donations after discovering that their house was now &quot;just a shell&quot;.

&quot;A lot of the property that was inside the house was thrown out and trashed. What little was left was stolen,&quot; Smart said.

&quot;We have to start building from scratch again.&quot;

But returning &quot;is a pleasant feeling. It&#39;s the plus side of things,&quot; he added.

Mugabe launched the disastrous land reform programme in 2000, justifying it as an effort to stimulate economic growth for black Zimbabweans.

The evictions, often brutal and arbitrary, were blamed for a collapse in agricultural production and chronic food shortages that forced the one-time breadbasket of Africa to become dependent on imports of staples.

Economic output fell by half following the start of the land seizures, as more than 4,000 of the country&#39;s 4,500 white farmers were stripped of their land.

Mnangagwa has vowed to revive the country&#39;s economy by lifting agricultural production and attracting foreign investment.&nbsp;

Robert Smart, 71, was thrown off his tobacco and corn farm in eastern Zimbabwe in June as part of chaotic and often violent land grabs led by ex-president Robert Mugabe's government

A white Zimbabwean farmer forced from his land as part of controversial mass evictions became this week the first to return to his property under a new government bid to reverse illegal land seizures. Robert Smart, 71, was thrown off his tobacco and corn farm in eastern Zimbabwe in June as part of chaotic and often violent land grabs led by ex-president Robert Mugabe's government. Smart said that he and his family were evicted at gunpoint "with whatever we had on our backs at the moment" to make way for a cleric close to Mugabe. After returning to his plot on Thursday, Smart said the new president was 'showing he means what he says' × But last month the 93-year-old ruler was ousted following a military takeover after more than three decades in power. The government of his successor Emmerson Mnangagwa in early December ordered people illegally occupying formerly white-owned commercial farms to vacate. Many people had illegally taken over farms cashing in on the land reforms. After returning to his plot on Thursday, Smart said the new president was "showing he means what he says". The farmer said his family had been forced to rely on the kindness of friends and "complete strangers" to survive after their eviction. And they will have to continue to rely on donations after discovering that their house was now "just a shell". "A lot of the property that was inside the house was thrown out and trashed. What little was left was stolen," Smart said. "We have to start building from scratch again." But returning "is a pleasant feeling. It's the plus side of things," he added. Mugabe launched the disastrous land reform programme in 2000, justifying it as an effort to stimulate economic growth for black Zimbabweans. The evictions, often brutal and arbitrary, were blamed for a collapse in agricultural production and chronic food shortages that forced the one-time breadbasket of Africa to become dependent on imports of staples. Economic output fell by half following the start of the land seizures, as more than 4,000 of the country's 4,500 white farmers were stripped of their land. Mnangagwa has vowed to revive the country's economy by lifting agricultural production and attracting foreign investment.

Evicted white farmer handed back his land in Zimbabwe

A Zimbabwean court has postponed to Jan. 4 the trial of a US&nbsp;citizen accused of attempting to undermine the authority of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe&#39;s government.

Martha O&#39;Donovan, 25, who is currently free on bail, denies the charges which centre on a Twitter post the state says she wrote in October calling 93-year-old Mugabe a &quot;selfish and sick man&quot;.

Mugabe resigned a few weeks later in the wake of a de facto military coup and was succeeded by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who Mugabe had sacked as his deputy only a week before.

The state said it needed more time to complete its investigations into the allegations against O&#39;Donovan, who works for Magamba TV, which describes itself as Zimbabwe&#39;s leading producer of political satire. When he released her on bail last month, High Court Judge Clement Phiri said there was &quot;patent absence of facts&quot; in the state&#39;s case against her.

Martha O'Donovan, 25, who is currently free on bail, denies the charges which centre on a Twitter post the state says she wrote in October calling 93-year-old Mugabe a 'selfish and sick man'

A Zimbabwean court has postponed to Jan. 4 the trial of a US citizen accused of attempting to undermine the authority of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe's government. Martha O'Donovan, 25, who is currently free on bail, denies the charges which centre on a Twitter post the state says she wrote in October calling 93-year-old Mugabe a "selfish and sick man". Mugabe resigned a few weeks later in the wake of a de facto military coup and was succeeded by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who Mugabe had sacked as his deputy only a week before. The state said it needed more time to complete its investigations into the allegations against O'Donovan, who works for Magamba TV, which describes itself as Zimbabwe's leading producer of political satire. When he released her on bail last month, High Court Judge Clement Phiri said there was "patent absence of facts" in the state's case against her.

Zimbabwe court postpones US citizen's subversion case to January

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-to-swear-in-as-zimbabwean-new-president-on-friday-25007">Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn</a> in as the new president of Zimbabwe today bringing Robert Mugabe&#39;s era to an end as people celebrated on the streets.

Several thousand people <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-will-mnangagwa-usher-in-a-new-democracy-25011">thronged Harare&#39;s National Sports </a>Stadium to witness Mnangagwa&#39;s oath-taking ceremony.

&quot;I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as the president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and obey, uphold and defend the constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe,&quot; the new president&nbsp;said as he took the oath of office before the country&#39;s chief justice.

During his speech after being sworn in Emmerson Mnangagwa praised&nbsp;Robert Mugabe calling him&nbsp;&quot;the father of the nation&quot;.

&quot;Let me at this stage pay tribute to the&nbsp;only surviving, founding fathers of our nation, comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe,&quot;&nbsp;Mnangagwa said after being&nbsp;sworn-in as president.

&quot;Let us all accept and acknowledge his immense contribution to the building of our nation,&quot; Mnangagwa said.

The event took place under heavy security with snipers taking up positions within the stadium even as people celebrated.

Amid the celebrations, there were reports of Emmerson Mnangagwa having assured Mugabe &quot;maximum security&quot; ahead of his swearing-in ceremony.

&quot;Mnangagwa (Thursday) spoke to (the) outgoing President... and assured him and his family maximum security and welfare as he appraised him of preparations for (Friday&#39;s) inauguration,&quot; the state-run Herald news site reported.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Reports also said Mugabe will be granted immunity from prosecution.

The event took place under heavy security with snipers taking up positions within the stadium even as people celebrated.

Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as the new president of Zimbabwe today bringing Robert Mugabe's era to an end as people celebrated on the streets. Several thousand people thronged Harare's National Sports Stadium to witness Mnangagwa's oath-taking ceremony. "I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as the president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and obey, uphold and defend the constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe," the new president said as he took the oath of office before the country's chief justice. During his speech after being sworn in Emmerson Mnangagwa praised Robert Mugabe calling him "the father of the nation". "Let me at this stage pay tribute to the only surviving, founding fathers of our nation, comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe," Mnangagwa said after being sworn-in as president. "Let us all accept and acknowledge his immense contribution to the building of our nation," Mnangagwa said. The event took place under heavy security with snipers taking up positions within the stadium even as people celebrated. Amid the celebrations, there were reports of Emmerson Mnangagwa having assured Mugabe "maximum security" ahead of his swearing-in ceremony. "Mnangagwa (Thursday) spoke to (the) outgoing President... and assured him and his family maximum security and welfare as he appraised him of preparations for (Friday's) inauguration," the state-run Herald news site reported. Reports also said Mugabe will be granted immunity from prosecution.

Mnangagwa sworn in as Zimbabwe president, praises 'father of the nation' Mugabe

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-zimbabwes-crocodile-to-snap-up-the-top-job-24852">Emmerson&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is&nbsp;sworn&nbsp;in as&nbsp;Zimbabwe&#39;s&nbsp;president</a>, bringing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/mugabe-era-ends-focus-now-shifts-to-ousted-vp-emmerson-mnangagwa-6882">the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe.</a>

Even though most&nbsp;Zimbabweans are jubilant at the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe&nbsp;from independence in 1980, the army&#39;s detention and rough treatment of pro-Mugabe ministers is worrying human rights groups.

Mugabe, the world&#39;s oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, a week after the army stepped in to seize power.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;assured Mugabe he and his family would be safe in&nbsp;Zimbabwe&nbsp;when the two men spoke for the first time since&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;returned home this week, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday.

They agreed that Mugabe may not attend&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-to-swear-in-as-zimbabwean-new-president-on-friday-25007">Mnangagwa&#39;s swearing-in ceremony </a>because of fatigue, the paper added.

Mugabe&#39;s sudden fall had been triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted&nbsp;Mnangagwaagainst Mugabe&#39;s much younger wife Grace.

Just two weeks ago, she seemed to have the upper hand after Mugabe fired&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;on Nov. 6 as vice&nbsp;president&nbsp;for showing &quot;traits of disloyalty&quot;.

That prompted&nbsp;Mnangagwa, 75, long one of Mugabe&#39;s most trusted lieutenants, to flee the country in fear for his life. It also brought tanks into the streets.

&quot;Vengeful Retribution&quot;

Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night after his return,&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;saidZimbabwe&nbsp;was entering a new stage of democracy after what analysts are terming a &quot;soft coup&quot; against Mugabe.

&quot;The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,&quot; he told thousands of supporters.

However, there are growing signs that the military&#39;s intervention on the side of&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;is far from soft, with reports of harrassment of politicians loyal to Grace&#39;s G40 political faction.

Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo was admitted to hospital on Friday with injuries sustained from beatings he received during a week in military custody, his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said. Chombo was blindfolded throughout, he added.

&quot;It was a very brutal and draconian way of dealing with opponents,&quot; Madhuku told Reuters.

In the last 24 hours, rights groups said relatives of former pro-Mugabe ministers had also been harassed.

Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday.

Some&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;supporters have called for unspecified action against G40 and Grace, who was known as &quot;Gucci Grace&quot; for her reputed dedication to shopping, an affront to many in a country with an unemployment rate of 90 percent.

On Thursday,&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;urged&nbsp;Zimbabweans not to undertake &quot;vengeful retribution&quot;.

Bloodshed of&nbsp;1980S

Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for&nbsp;Mnangagwa, who carries his own baggage after decades of service to Mugabe, who was widely accused of resorting to human rights abuses and election-rigging.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;earned the nickname &quot;Ngwena&quot;, Shona for crocodile, an animal famed and feared in Zimbabwean lore for stealth and ruthlessness.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;backed Mugabe&#39;s economic nationalism, especially a drive to force foreign firms to hand majority stakes to local blacks, suggesting he may not be the pro-market pragmatist many investors have been hoping for.

Most controversially, he was in charge of internal security in the mid-1980s when Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade against rebels loyal to his rival Joshua Nkomo.

Rights groups say 20,000 civilians, mostly from the Ndebele tribe, were killed. Mugabe denies genocide or crimes against humanity but has admitted it was a &quot;moment of madness&quot;.

Mnangagwa&#39;s role remains shrouded in mystery.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic a&nbsp;Mnangagwapresidency would not &quot;mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime&quot;.

The Southern African Development Community said it was ready to work closely with Mnangagwa.

Zimbabwe&#39;s bourse, which had been on a rapid rise, lost $6 billion during this month&#39;s military intervention as its main index fell by 40 percent. Analysts say it will fall even further before recovering.

Emmerson?Mnangagwa?will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is?sworn?in as?Zimbabwe's?president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe

Emmerson Mnangagwa will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is sworn in as Zimbabwe's president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe. Even though most Zimbabweans are jubilant at the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, the army's detention and rough treatment of pro-Mugabe ministers is worrying human rights groups. Mugabe, the world's oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, a week after the army stepped in to seize power. Mnangagwa assured Mugabe he and his family would be safe in Zimbabwe when the two men spoke for the first time since Mnangagwa returned home this week, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday. They agreed that Mugabe may not attend Mnangagwa's swearing-in ceremony because of fatigue, the paper added. Mugabe's sudden fall had been triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwaagainst Mugabe's much younger wife Grace. Just two weeks ago, she seemed to have the upper hand after Mugabe fired Mnangagwa on Nov. 6 as vice president for showing "traits of disloyalty". That prompted Mnangagwa, 75, long one of Mugabe's most trusted lieutenants, to flee the country in fear for his life. It also brought tanks into the streets. "Vengeful Retribution" Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night after his return, Mnangagwa saidZimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy after what analysts are terming a "soft coup" against Mugabe. "The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God," he told thousands of supporters. However, there are growing signs that the military's intervention on the side of Mnangagwa is far from soft, with reports of harrassment of politicians loyal to Grace's G40 political faction. Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo was admitted to hospital on Friday with injuries sustained from beatings he received during a week in military custody, his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said. Chombo was blindfolded throughout, he added. "It was a very brutal and draconian way of dealing with opponents," Madhuku told Reuters. In the last 24 hours, rights groups said relatives of former pro-Mugabe ministers had also been harassed. Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday. Some Mnangagwa supporters have called for unspecified action against G40 and Grace, who was known as "Gucci Grace" for her reputed dedication to shopping, an affront to many in a country with an unemployment rate of 90 percent. On Thursday, Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans not to undertake "vengeful retribution". Bloodshed of 1980S Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for Mnangagwa, who carries his own baggage after decades of service to Mugabe, who was widely accused of resorting to human rights abuses and election-rigging. Mnangagwa earned the nickname "Ngwena", Shona for crocodile, an animal famed and feared in Zimbabwean lore for stealth and ruthlessness. Mnangagwa backed Mugabe's economic nationalism, especially a drive to force foreign firms to hand majority stakes to local blacks, suggesting he may not be the pro-market pragmatist many investors have been hoping for. Most controversially, he was in charge of internal security in the mid-1980s when Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade against rebels loyal to his rival Joshua Nkomo. Rights groups say 20,000 civilians, mostly from the Ndebele tribe, were killed. Mugabe denies genocide or crimes against humanity but has admitted it was a "moment of madness". Mnangagwa's role remains shrouded in mystery. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic a Mnangagwapresidency would not "mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime". The Southern African Development Community said it was ready to work closely with Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe's bourse, which had been on a rapid rise, lost $6 billion during this month's military intervention as its main index fell by 40 percent. Analysts say it will fall even further before recovering.

Mnangagwa set to be sworn in as Zimbabwe president

Zimbabwe has a new leader. Robert Mugabe is out. His former ally turned rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is in. What now?

After ecstatic celebrations to mark Mugabe&rsquo;s resignation thoughts have begun to turn to what comes next. Mugabe may have exited the political scene, but it remains dominated by the same political party &ndash; Zanu-PF &ndash; that sustained his rule.

Moreover, the country&rsquo;s president-elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is hardly a breath of fresh air. Having held a series of cabinet positions under Mugabe, and served as First Vice President between December 2014 and his sacking in November 2017, he looks more like a force for continuity than change.

As a result, talk in Harare quickly turned to what kind of leader Mnangagwa will be, and the system of government that would best serve ordinary Zimbabweans.

The fork in the road

My conversations with people on the streets of the capital, Harare, about the political system the country needs suggests that two distinct camps are emerging: Those who want elections to be held as soon as possible, and those who say the polls should be postponed and a transitional government established.

Both of these options have genuine &ldquo;pros&rdquo; but also strong &ldquo;cons&rdquo;. As is so often the case, there is no perfect answer that solves all problems.

It is understandable that many Zimbabweans want a period of calm and orderly government after the twists and turns of recent weeks, and believe that it would be better to form an inclusive government that would feature representatives of all of the main political parties &ndash; a kind of power sharing in all but name.

Even though I have consistently argued in favour of the value of democracy and elections in Africa, I have to admit that the &ldquo;transitioners&rdquo; have some viable arguments.

The most obvious is that a period of stability and the more consensual government might facilitate much-needed reform of the economy and also the wider political and legal system. After all, rival parties are unlikely to come to an agreement on these issues if they are immediately thrust into an election campaign.

The &ldquo;transitioners&rdquo; also have a point when it comes to democracy. Few people in Zimbabwe believe that it&rsquo;s possible for elections to be free and fair if they are held between July and August next year, as currently scheduled. Given this, and the current divisions within the opposition, a rush to elections is likely to result in a convincing victory for Zanu-PF under problematic circumstances.

A transitional arrangement would allow for much needed electoral reforms to be put in place, creating the potential for a better quality process and a more consensual outcome later on.

Testing the Crocodile

But there is also another camp that wants to see Mnangagwa, popularly known as The Crocodile, to face an election as soon as possible.

Just like their counterparts in the &ldquo;transitioner&rdquo; camp, &ldquo;electioneers&rdquo;, have some strong arguments. Whatever one wants to call Mnangagwa&rsquo;s rise to power &ndash; from a coup to an internal party squabble &ndash; it is clear that it has not been a high-quality democratic transition. And while it is clear that the overthrow of Mugabe was hugely popular, we don&rsquo;t know if the same applies to a Mnangagwa presidency. An election would settle that question.

It would also give the new government a popular mandate to undertake economic reforms, whoever wins power. This could be important to the success of the reform project, because things are likely to get worse before they get better, and the country&rsquo;s economic medicine may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow.

Holding elections would also do one thing that postponing them will not; it will test the commitment of the new government to democratic norms and values from the get-go. One of the main reasons that Zimbabwean elections have been poor quality is that Zanu-PF and the military have intervened to make sure this was the case. As another friend put it, &ldquo;If they are really committed to doing the right thing, they can do it right away and the elections will not be too bad&rdquo;.

Learning from the past

&ldquo;Electioneers&rdquo; are also motivated by scepticism that an inclusive transitional government would get much done. Both Zimbabwe and Kenya have had power-sharing governments in the recent past, and while they both introduced new constitutions they also saw high levels of corruption and limited security sector reform. They also both led to elections that were denounced by opposition parties as being unfree and unfair.

It&rsquo;s fair to ask: why would it be different this time?

The question is particularly pertinent given the current composition of parliament. Because Morgan Tsvangirai&rsquo;s Movement for Democratic Change boycotted a series of by-elections on the basis that they would not be free and fair, it has lost many of the seats it won in 2013. As a result, any transitional arrangement that deferred elections and &ldquo;froze&rdquo; the current parliament for the next three years would have a big legislative advantage to Zanu-PF.

It is also important to keep in mind that economics cannot be divorced from politics: Zimbabwe&rsquo;s current economic difficulties stem precisely from an unaccountable political framework that ignored the interests of the people. Given that recent events have emboldened the military and given them an even stronger voice within government, this is a pressing concern.

Deferring electoral reforms in order to focus on economic recovery may, therefore, prove to be a self-defeating strategy.

Next steps

Ultimately, the form of government that evolves in Zimbabwe will not be a product of popular dialogue. One of the distinctive features of this process is that for the most part it has been conducted behind closed doors by a small elite.

Don&rsquo;t be fooled by the pictures of tens of thousands of people marching on Saturday &ndash; all sides have invoked popular support, but none have actually encouraged ordinary people to say what they want, or given them a seat at the table. This is a worrying sign if strengthening democracy is the long-term goal.

Recent public statements by the main parties at the time of going to press suggests that they are not converging on an interim administration, and so the &ldquo;electioneers&rdquo; may get their wish. That could still change because talks are ongoing and both sides would gain something from a delay. But if it doesn&rsquo;t the people will be able to have their say on how they want their country to be run.

Of course, voting will not actually equate to &ldquo;having a say&rdquo; unless the country&rsquo;s new leader follows through on his promise to build a &ldquo;new democracy&rdquo;, and the ruling party can kick the habit of a lifetime. Watch this space.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-mnangagwa-usher-in-a-new-democracy-the-view-from-zimbabwe-88023" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

After the fall of autocratic ruler Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe faces a difficult choice between the stability of a transnational government or a potentially divisive election contest.

Zimbabwe has a new leader. Robert Mugabe is out. His former ally turned rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is in. What now? After ecstatic celebrations to mark Mugabe’s resignation thoughts have begun to turn to what comes next. Mugabe may have exited the political scene, but it remains dominated by the same political party – Zanu-PF – that sustained his rule. Moreover, the country’s president-elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is hardly a breath of fresh air. Having held a series of cabinet positions under Mugabe, and served as First Vice President between December 2014 and his sacking in November 2017, he looks more like a force for continuity than change. As a result, talk in Harare quickly turned to what kind of leader Mnangagwa will be, and the system of government that would best serve ordinary Zimbabweans. The fork in the road My conversations with people on the streets of the capital, Harare, about the political system the country needs suggests that two distinct camps are emerging: Those who want elections to be held as soon as possible, and those who say the polls should be postponed and a transitional government established. Both of these options have genuine “pros” but also strong “cons”. As is so often the case, there is no perfect answer that solves all problems. It is understandable that many Zimbabweans want a period of calm and orderly government after the twists and turns of recent weeks, and believe that it would be better to form an inclusive government that would feature representatives of all of the main political parties – a kind of power sharing in all but name. Even though I have consistently argued in favour of the value of democracy and elections in Africa, I have to admit that the “transitioners” have some viable arguments. The most obvious is that a period of stability and the more consensual government might facilitate much-needed reform of the economy and also the wider political and legal system. After all, rival parties are unlikely to come to an agreement on these issues if they are immediately thrust into an election campaign. The “transitioners” also have a point when it comes to democracy. Few people in Zimbabwe believe that it’s possible for elections to be free and fair if they are held between July and August next year, as currently scheduled. Given this, and the current divisions within the opposition, a rush to elections is likely to result in a convincing victory for Zanu-PF under problematic circumstances. A transitional arrangement would allow for much needed electoral reforms to be put in place, creating the potential for a better quality process and a more consensual outcome later on. Testing the Crocodile But there is also another camp that wants to see Mnangagwa, popularly known as The Crocodile, to face an election as soon as possible. Just like their counterparts in the “transitioner” camp, “electioneers”, have some strong arguments. Whatever one wants to call Mnangagwa’s rise to power – from a coup to an internal party squabble – it is clear that it has not been a high-quality democratic transition. And while it is clear that the overthrow of Mugabe was hugely popular, we don’t know if the same applies to a Mnangagwa presidency. An election would settle that question. It would also give the new government a popular mandate to undertake economic reforms, whoever wins power. This could be important to the success of the reform project, because things are likely to get worse before they get better, and the country’s economic medicine may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow. Holding elections would also do one thing that postponing them will not; it will test the commitment of the new government to democratic norms and values from the get-go. One of the main reasons that Zimbabwean elections have been poor quality is that Zanu-PF and the military have intervened to make sure this was the case. As another friend put it, “If they are really committed to doing the right thing, they can do it right away and the elections will not be too bad”. Learning from the past “Electioneers” are also motivated by scepticism that an inclusive transitional government would get much done. Both Zimbabwe and Kenya have had power-sharing governments in the recent past, and while they both introduced new constitutions they also saw high levels of corruption and limited security sector reform. They also both led to elections that were denounced by opposition parties as being unfree and unfair. It’s fair to ask: why would it be different this time? The question is particularly pertinent given the current composition of parliament. Because Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change boycotted a series of by-elections on the basis that they would not be free and fair, it has lost many of the seats it won in 2013. As a result, any transitional arrangement that deferred elections and “froze” the current parliament for the next three years would have a big legislative advantage to Zanu-PF. It is also important to keep in mind that economics cannot be divorced from politics: Zimbabwe’s current economic difficulties stem precisely from an unaccountable political framework that ignored the interests of the people. Given that recent events have emboldened the military and given them an even stronger voice within government, this is a pressing concern. Deferring electoral reforms in order to focus on economic recovery may, therefore, prove to be a self-defeating strategy. Next steps Ultimately, the form of government that evolves in Zimbabwe will not be a product of popular dialogue. One of the distinctive features of this process is that for the most part it has been conducted behind closed doors by a small elite. Don’t be fooled by the pictures of tens of thousands of people marching on Saturday – all sides have invoked popular support, but none have actually encouraged ordinary people to say what they want, or given them a seat at the table. This is a worrying sign if strengthening democracy is the long-term goal. Recent public statements by the main parties at the time of going to press suggests that they are not converging on an interim administration, and so the “electioneers” may get their wish. That could still change because talks are ongoing and both sides would gain something from a delay. But if it doesn’t the people will be able to have their say on how they want their country to be run. Of course, voting will not actually equate to “having a say” unless the country’s new leader follows through on his promise to build a “new democracy”, and the ruling party can kick the habit of a lifetime. Watch this space. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

Opinion: Will Mnangagwa usher democracy in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe&#39;s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare.

He will finish off the remainder of the term of office of former president Robert Mugabe till next election in 2018.

Mnangagwa, who had been out of the country since he was fired by Mugabe on Nov. 6, returned to the country Wednesday evening after Mugabe resigned Tuesday following military and public pressure.

The swearing in of Mnangagwa comes after the ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday nominated him as president of the country.

In his first public address to supporters on Wednesday, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the people, saying all&nbsp;Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation.

Many&nbsp;Zimbabwean people expect that the new president could lead the country in developing the economy and creating more jobs.

Thousands of&nbsp;Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa are also waiting for guidance from the new leadership.

&quot;You know, if all the things are settled down, I think there&#39;s no need for us to stay here in South Africa. Because as you see, most&nbsp;Zimbabweans here in South Africa are not feeling comfort, you see. So if things are already good that side, there&#39;s no need for us to stay here,&quot; said Rowan KG Kome,&nbsp;Zimbabwean living in Beitbridge, Limpopo province of South Africa.

But they have not forgotten how Robert Mugabe once served their country.

&quot;I would like to thank him for what he did. He, first of all, is an old man. He worked very hard, when he was ruling that country. The only problem is that he was a tribalist. No one is one hundred percent (right). Everyone makes mistakes usually. The only wrong thing is that he was refusing to step down. He was sick and he&#39;s old,&quot; said Keifas Moyo, another&nbsp;Zimbabwean in South Africa.

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare. He will finish off the remainder of the term of office of former president Robert Mugabe till next election in 2018. Mnangagwa, who had been out of the country since he was fired by Mugabe on Nov. 6, returned to the country Wednesday evening after Mugabe resigned Tuesday following military and public pressure. The swearing in of Mnangagwa comes after the ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday nominated him as president of the country. In his first public address to supporters on Wednesday, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the people, saying all Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation. Many Zimbabwean people expect that the new president could lead the country in developing the economy and creating more jobs. Thousands of Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa are also waiting for guidance from the new leadership. "You know, if all the things are settled down, I think there's no need for us to stay here in South Africa. Because as you see, most Zimbabweans here in South Africa are not feeling comfort, you see. So if things are already good that side, there's no need for us to stay here," said Rowan KG Kome, Zimbabwean living in Beitbridge, Limpopo province of South Africa. But they have not forgotten how Robert Mugabe once served their country. "I would like to thank him for what he did. He, first of all, is an old man. He worked very hard, when he was ruling that country. The only problem is that he was a tribalist. No one is one hundred percent (right). Everyone makes mistakes usually. The only wrong thing is that he was refusing to step down. He was sick and he's old," said Keifas Moyo, another Zimbabwean in South Africa.

Mnangagwa poised to swear in as Zimbabwean new president today

Zimbabwe&#39;s former president Robert Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety would be protected in his home country as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday.

Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down on Tuesday after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president sacked by Mugabe earlier this month, is set to be sworn in as president on Friday.

A government source said Mugabe, who is 93, told negotiators he wanted to die in Zimbabwe and had no plans to live in exile.

&quot;It was very emotional for him and he was forceful about it,&quot; said the source, who is not authorised to speak on the details of the negotiated settlement.

&quot;For him it was very important that he be guaranteed security to stay in the country...although that will not stop him from travelling abroad when he wants to or has to,&quot; the source said.

Mugabe resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, sparking wild celebrations in the streets. His rapid downfall after 37 years in power was triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwa against Mugabe&#39;s much younger wife Grace.

&quot;The outgoing president is obviously aware of the public hostility to his wife, the anger in some circles about the manner in which she conducted herself and approached ZANU-PF party politics,&quot; a second source said.

&quot;In that regard, it became necessary to also assure him that his whole family, including the wife, would be safe and secure.&quot;

Mugabe had clung on to power for a week after the military intervened. He angered many Zimbabweans when he did not resign in a televised address on Sunday as many had anticipated.

The government source said the tipping point for him was the realisation that he would be impeached and ousted in an undignified way.

&quot;When the process started, he then realised he had lost the party,&quot; the source said.

Mugabe will receive a retirement package that includes a pension, housing, holiday and transport allowance, health insurance, limited air travel and security.

The ageing former president was &quot;rugged and drained&quot; by events of the past week and may travel to Singapore for medical checks in the coming weeks, the source said. He had been due to leave for Singapore in mid-November before the military put him under house arrest.

Mugabe has maintained that he leads a frugal life and that he does not possess any wealth or properties outside Zimbabwe.

But last month a legal quarrel between Grace and a Belgian-based businessman over a $1.3 million diamond ring lifted a veil on the wealthy lifestyle of Mugabe and his wife, nicknamed &quot;Gucci Grace&quot; for her reputed dedication to shopping.

In Zimbabwe, Mugabe runs a dairy business and the family has several farms while local and foreign media have reported that Grace has bought properties and luxury cars in South Africa.

Meet the new boss

Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night, new leader Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy.

Mnangagwa had returned to the country earlier in the day, having fled for his safety when Mugabe sacked him as vice president two weeks ago to smooth a path to the succession for Grace.

&quot;The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,&quot; Mnangagwa told thousands of supporters gathered outside the ruling ZANU-PF party&#39;s offices in the capital.

The army appears to have engineered a trouble-free path to power for Mnangagwa, who was for decades a faithful lieutenant of Mugabe and member of his elite.

His own human rights record also stirs hostility in many Zimbabweans. He was in charge of internal security when rights groups say 20,000 civilians were killed in the 1980s.

Restoring the country&#39;s fortunes and international standing will be a challenge. Human rights abuses and flawed elections prompted many Western countries to impose sanctions in the early 2000s that further hurt the economy, even with Chinese investment to soften the blow.

Staging clean elections next year will be key to winning fresh funds.

In its first official comments since Mugabe resigned, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic that a Mnangagwa presidency would not &quot;mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime&quot;.

Zimbabwe was once one of Africa&#39;s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation.

Most of its 13 million people remain poor and face currency shortages and sky-high unemployment, something Mnangagwa promised to address.

A senior International Monetary Fund official said Zimbabwe&#39;s economic situation remained &quot;very difficult&quot; as sustainable growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms

&quot;Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support,&quot; Gene Leon, IMF&#39;s mission chief for Zimbabwe said.

Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down on Tuesday after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him.

Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety would be protected in his home country as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday. Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down on Tuesday after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president sacked by Mugabe earlier this month, is set to be sworn in as president on Friday. A government source said Mugabe, who is 93, told negotiators he wanted to die in Zimbabwe and had no plans to live in exile. "It was very emotional for him and he was forceful about it," said the source, who is not authorised to speak on the details of the negotiated settlement. "For him it was very important that he be guaranteed security to stay in the country...although that will not stop him from travelling abroad when he wants to or has to," the source said. Mugabe resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, sparking wild celebrations in the streets. His rapid downfall after 37 years in power was triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwa against Mugabe's much younger wife Grace. "The outgoing president is obviously aware of the public hostility to his wife, the anger in some circles about the manner in which she conducted herself and approached ZANU-PF party politics," a second source said. "In that regard, it became necessary to also assure him that his whole family, including the wife, would be safe and secure." Mugabe had clung on to power for a week after the military intervened. He angered many Zimbabweans when he did not resign in a televised address on Sunday as many had anticipated. The government source said the tipping point for him was the realisation that he would be impeached and ousted in an undignified way. "When the process started, he then realised he had lost the party," the source said. Mugabe will receive a retirement package that includes a pension, housing, holiday and transport allowance, health insurance, limited air travel and security. The ageing former president was "rugged and drained" by events of the past week and may travel to Singapore for medical checks in the coming weeks, the source said. He had been due to leave for Singapore in mid-November before the military put him under house arrest. Mugabe has maintained that he leads a frugal life and that he does not possess any wealth or properties outside Zimbabwe. But last month a legal quarrel between Grace and a Belgian-based businessman over a $1.3 million diamond ring lifted a veil on the wealthy lifestyle of Mugabe and his wife, nicknamed "Gucci Grace" for her reputed dedication to shopping. In Zimbabwe, Mugabe runs a dairy business and the family has several farms while local and foreign media have reported that Grace has bought properties and luxury cars in South Africa. Meet the new boss Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night, new leader Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy. Mnangagwa had returned to the country earlier in the day, having fled for his safety when Mugabe sacked him as vice president two weeks ago to smooth a path to the succession for Grace. "The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God," Mnangagwa told thousands of supporters gathered outside the ruling ZANU-PF party's offices in the capital. The army appears to have engineered a trouble-free path to power for Mnangagwa, who was for decades a faithful lieutenant of Mugabe and member of his elite. His own human rights record also stirs hostility in many Zimbabweans. He was in charge of internal security when rights groups say 20,000 civilians were killed in the 1980s. Restoring the country's fortunes and international standing will be a challenge. Human rights abuses and flawed elections prompted many Western countries to impose sanctions in the early 2000s that further hurt the economy, even with Chinese investment to soften the blow. Staging clean elections next year will be key to winning fresh funds. In its first official comments since Mugabe resigned, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic that a Mnangagwa presidency would not "mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime". Zimbabwe was once one of Africa's most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation. Most of its 13 million people remain poor and face currency shortages and sky-high unemployment, something Mnangagwa promised to address. A senior International Monetary Fund official said Zimbabwe's economic situation remained "very difficult" as sustainable growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms "Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support," Gene Leon, IMF's mission chief for Zimbabwe said.

Mugabe granted immunity from prosecution, assured of safety in Zimbabwe: Sources