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Mnangagwa launches diplomatic offensive
03 Jun 2023 at 16:18hrs | Views
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is in Malawi for a 3-day-state-visit, launched a diplomatic offensive ahead of the 2023 crucial harmonised elections scheduled for 23 August, when he met African heads of missions and ambassadors in Malawi at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Thursday.
Source said the meeting, organised by the Zimbabwe's ambassador to Malawi and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Dr Nancy Saungweme, saw all African heads of missions and ambassadors domiciled in Malawi meet Mnangagwa.
Sources told Zim Morning Post that Mnangagwa assured the diplomats of Zimbabwe's preparedness to hold free and fair elections.
"The meeting was meant to inform African Diplomats Zimbabwe's readiness for elections," the source said adding: "The President informed the Diplomats that Zimbabwe is ready to hold free and fair elections and that as the incumbent he has been urging the nation to ensure that peace prevails before and after the elections."
Sources also said Mnangagwa took the opportunity to push for the regional block's continued calls against sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
In an interview with this publication ambassador Saungweme said the president assured the diplomats that the elections will be held in a peaceful and transparent manner.
"I am sure you are aware that the President proclaimed August 23 as the day the country will hold elections. So he took advanatage of his state visit to Malawi to announce to the region that the country is ready for the elections."
Saungweme said most of the diplomats attended the meeting at Kamuzu Palace. "We had all African diplomats in Malawi except for the South African ambassador who issued an apology because she had an engagement on the day of the meeting."
In 2018 Zimbabwe witnessed protests before the announcing of the presidential election results amid claims from the opposition supporters that the electoral managing body, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was deliberately delaying the announcements of the results.
Mnangagwa also signed nine memorandum of understanding with his counterpart President Lazarus Chakwera.
Mnangagwa is expected to depart for Zimbabwe today (Friday) after visiting the cyclone Freddy-hit-areas in Blantyre.
Source said the meeting, organised by the Zimbabwe's ambassador to Malawi and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Dr Nancy Saungweme, saw all African heads of missions and ambassadors domiciled in Malawi meet Mnangagwa.
Sources told Zim Morning Post that Mnangagwa assured the diplomats of Zimbabwe's preparedness to hold free and fair elections.
"The meeting was meant to inform African Diplomats Zimbabwe's readiness for elections," the source said adding: "The President informed the Diplomats that Zimbabwe is ready to hold free and fair elections and that as the incumbent he has been urging the nation to ensure that peace prevails before and after the elections."
Sources also said Mnangagwa took the opportunity to push for the regional block's continued calls against sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe.
"I am sure you are aware that the President proclaimed August 23 as the day the country will hold elections. So he took advanatage of his state visit to Malawi to announce to the region that the country is ready for the elections."
Saungweme said most of the diplomats attended the meeting at Kamuzu Palace. "We had all African diplomats in Malawi except for the South African ambassador who issued an apology because she had an engagement on the day of the meeting."
In 2018 Zimbabwe witnessed protests before the announcing of the presidential election results amid claims from the opposition supporters that the electoral managing body, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) was deliberately delaying the announcements of the results.
Mnangagwa also signed nine memorandum of understanding with his counterpart President Lazarus Chakwera.
Mnangagwa is expected to depart for Zimbabwe today (Friday) after visiting the cyclone Freddy-hit-areas in Blantyre.
Source - Zim Morning Post
