Mnangagwa assumes SADC chairmanship

COUNTRIES in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) must be confident of their abilities, as the region should be modernised and industrialised by its own citizens, President Mnangagwa has said.

He said this in his acceptance speech, after he officially took over as SADC chair, at the bloc's Heads of State and Government Summit underway at the new Parliament building in Mt Hampden.

President Mnangagwa officially received the SADC chairmanship badge from the outgoing chair, President Joao Manuel Goncalves, of Angola to mark the beginning of his reign, amid wild cheers from delegates at the summit.

In his acceptance speech, President Mnangagwa said:

"Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo'. Likewise, our region SADC will be modernised and industrialised by its own citizens, through our individual and collective efforts. Those who seek to help us are welcome, however, they must do so, on our terms, guided by our priorities and respecting our sovereignty.

"I, therefore, challenge my fellow citizens of the region to remain unapologetic and confident in who we are, as a people and in our God given abilities. Through unity and hard honest work, nothing is impossible."