Zimbabwe’s president takes oath as US censure hangs over vote

HARARE: Emmerson Mnangagwa urged Zimbabwe to unite behind his presidency on Sunday, as he took the oath of office following a divisive election that US observers said had called the country´s democratic credentials into question.

The Constitutional Court confirmed Mnangagwa as president on Friday, dismissing a challenge by the man he beat in the July 30 ballot, Nelson Chamisa. Thousands of Zimbabweans, some bussed in, and foreign leaders including South Africa´s Cyril Ramaphosa and Paul Kagame of Rwanda gathered at Harare´s national stadium for Sunday´s swearing-in. “I exhort us to commit ourselves collectively to develop our motherland. . . what unites us is greater than what could ever divide us,” Mnangagwa told election participants in his inauguration speech. He also reaffirmed pre-election pledges to revive Zimbabwe´s crippled economy and settle outstanding debts with foreign lenders, and reiterated he would call an independent inquiry into a “regrettable and unacceptable” army crackdown following the vote in which six people died.

“Now is the time for us all to unite as a nation and grow our economy,” Mnangagwa said. He took the oath before Chief Justice Luke Malaba who, together with eight other judges, had ruled on Friday against opposition leader Chamisa´s petition.