Mnangagwa in excellent start, says US envoy

THE United States has said President Emmerson Mnangagwa has had an "excellent start" as the country's leader and American investors and politicians are expected to start arriving in Zimbabwe this month as the two countries start re-engaging.

US ambassador to Zimbabwe Ambassador Harry K Thomas Jnr said his office is being inundated with requests from Americans wanting to come to do business in the country.

In an interview with Capitalk FM on Wednesday, Ambassador Thomas said American delegations are expected in the coming weeks.

"We will have visitors from the White House here in February bringing a multi-agency delegation. We will have congressman and senators here in March," said Ambassador Thomas.

He said another group of congressman was expected in April and May.

"We expect that we will get business delegations as well as congressional delegations, church delegations. We have been flooded with inquiries of people who want to come and see the new dispensation and that covers everybody from musicians, businesspersons and church groups. Our day is filled with Americans who want to come and see what the new dispensation is," said Ambassador Thomas.

He said President Mnanagwa was scheduled to meet American officials in Davos but the US government postponed the meetings.

"But don't judge that by whether the person comes or not. This week Peter Hartswell, an American company, was here. Looks like some solar power people (will) come and another American business delegation is here next week

Some American non-governmental organisations were here to look at how they can assist civil society," he said.

Ambassador Thomas said his country was very supportive of ongoing economic reforms.

"The United States is very supportive of the economic plan, economic interests we are trying to see if there is foreign direct investment particularly from our nation coming here.

We very much applaud President Mnangagwa's decision and statement that there would be free and fair elections in line with the constitution of Zimbabwe, so that is an excellent start," he said.

He said President Mnangagwa had started on a good footing and could only be judged by Zimbabweans through elections.

"That's up to Zimbabwean people. After all you have to judge him and you do that by the ballot box which is the fair way in democracy.

We are going to judge him by his performance and we cannot criticise his call for free and fair elections, extension of BVR period, invitation to election monitors, decision to reform your economy and invite the Diaspora to invest," he said.

The diplomat said the new Government must be given time to "walk the talk", but said people must not expect the Government to do everything in 90 days.

"Obviously all these things take time and we will see as we go ahead but for now it's an excellent start. Obviously you have to walk the talk but how can you expect someone to walk the talk in 90 days because that's impossible for anyone," said Ambassador Thomas.

He applauded President Mnangagwa's engagements with heads of state and global institutions.

"Yes, he went to Davos, the first time in  more than 20 years that a Zimbabwean leader was invited to Davos.

"He met heads of industry, heads of Government; he's getting ready to go to the mining Indaba in Cape Town where he would do the same thing.

He's been going to meet Sadc leaders; he's met the African Union so all this is a good start." he said.

'Well last night (Tuesday) your ambassador was invited by our Government to the State of Union address, as President Trump makes an address to the world that's the first time it's happened in years. It is symbolic that your Ambassador goes there to see Zimbabwe being welcomed into the global community as a new country with a new look."

The ambassador said Zimbabweans must not take for granted efforts being made by the new administration to entrench civil liberties and reform the economy.

"But last thing I would to say is that since November I have seen Zimbabweans talking, shouting and laughing in the open in ways that they didn't do before and that is something you shouldn't take for granted," he said.