News / Local
Mnangagwa congratulates new US president
08 Nov 2020 at 02:04hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday led Zimbabweans in congratulating United States president-elect Joseph Robinette Biden (Joe Biden) who won last week's US presidential election, beating incumbent Donald Trump.
Mr Biden was confirmed the 46th president of the US yesterday evening, denying Trump a second term after a deeply divisive presidency defined by a once-in-lifetime pandemic, economic turmoil and social unrest. The election was marred by allegations of voter rigging with Trump making claims that he was cheated without providing proof.
Posting on microblogging site Twitter, President Mnangagwa wished Mr Biden success, undertaking to work to intensify co-operation between Zimbabwe and the US.
"On behalf of all Zimbabweans, a huge congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden on his election victory," said President Mnangagwa.
"Zimbabwe wishes you every success in leading the American people. I look forward to working with you to increase co-operation between our two nations."
Mr Biden won the presidency by clinching Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes, after days of painstaking vote counting following record voter turnout across the country. The win in Pennsylvania took Mr Biden's electoral college vote to 273, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House.
Mr Biden had won more than 74 million votes by the time the result was called in, the most ever for a US presidential candidate.
Trump had drawn more than 70 million, the second-highest tally in history. Mr Biden said he was "honoured and humbled" to be elected.
"In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America," he said in a tweet.
It was now time to "put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation", he said. "It's time for America to unite. And to heal."
The result makes Trump the first one-term president since the 1990s. Mr Biden is now set to return to the White House, where he served for eight years as president Barack Obama's deputy. At the age of 78, he will be the oldest president in American history, a record previously held by the man he has now defeated who is 74.
The result also marked the historic rise of Kamala Harris, who will be the first woman and the first woman of colour to serve as vice-president in American history. The outcome threatened to send convulsions across the United States, as Trump's campaign made baseless claims of voter fraud and vowed to challenge the results.
Responding to the Pennsylvania results, Trump's campaign put out a statement saying: "This election is not over.
"The false projection of Joe Biden as the winner is based on results in four states that are far from final."
Trump sought to cast doubt on the outcome, claiming widespread voting irregularities without evidence and filing lawsuits to contest the ballot count in some key states where he was behind.
"I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!" Trump tweeted Saturday morning.
So far, none of Trump's lawsuits have gained traction or demonstrated that the results of the election can be overturned.
Mr Biden was confirmed the 46th president of the US yesterday evening, denying Trump a second term after a deeply divisive presidency defined by a once-in-lifetime pandemic, economic turmoil and social unrest. The election was marred by allegations of voter rigging with Trump making claims that he was cheated without providing proof.
Posting on microblogging site Twitter, President Mnangagwa wished Mr Biden success, undertaking to work to intensify co-operation between Zimbabwe and the US.
"On behalf of all Zimbabweans, a huge congratulations to President-elect @JoeBiden on his election victory," said President Mnangagwa.
"Zimbabwe wishes you every success in leading the American people. I look forward to working with you to increase co-operation between our two nations."
Mr Biden won the presidency by clinching Pennsylvania and its 20 electoral votes, after days of painstaking vote counting following record voter turnout across the country. The win in Pennsylvania took Mr Biden's electoral college vote to 273, surpassing the 270 needed to win the White House.
Mr Biden had won more than 74 million votes by the time the result was called in, the most ever for a US presidential candidate.
Trump had drawn more than 70 million, the second-highest tally in history. Mr Biden said he was "honoured and humbled" to be elected.
"In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America," he said in a tweet.
It was now time to "put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation", he said. "It's time for America to unite. And to heal."
The result makes Trump the first one-term president since the 1990s. Mr Biden is now set to return to the White House, where he served for eight years as president Barack Obama's deputy. At the age of 78, he will be the oldest president in American history, a record previously held by the man he has now defeated who is 74.
The result also marked the historic rise of Kamala Harris, who will be the first woman and the first woman of colour to serve as vice-president in American history. The outcome threatened to send convulsions across the United States, as Trump's campaign made baseless claims of voter fraud and vowed to challenge the results.
Responding to the Pennsylvania results, Trump's campaign put out a statement saying: "This election is not over.
"The false projection of Joe Biden as the winner is based on results in four states that are far from final."
Trump sought to cast doubt on the outcome, claiming widespread voting irregularities without evidence and filing lawsuits to contest the ballot count in some key states where he was behind.
"I WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!" Trump tweeted Saturday morning.
So far, none of Trump's lawsuits have gained traction or demonstrated that the results of the election can be overturned.
Source - sundaymail
