Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken the oath as Zimbabwe's president, after winning last month's bitterly contested election that marked the country's first vote since Robert Mugabe was removed from power.

The Constitutional Court confirmed Mnangagwa's election victory in a ruling released on Friday, dismissing a challenge by the man he defeated in the July 30 ballot, opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

Thousands of people, some from outside the capital, and foreign leaders gathered on Sunday at Harare's national stadium for the swearing-in of Mnangagwa, who just secured the 50 percent of votes needed to avoid a runoff against Chamisa.

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Mnangagwa pledged to "protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans" in his oath.

"I, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, swear that as president of the Republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe [and] will obey uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe," Mnangagwa said.

He took the oath before Chief Justice Luke Malaba who, together with eight other Constitutional Court judges had dismissed Chamisa's petition.

The election was touted as a crucial step towards shedding the pariah reputation Zimbabwe gained under Mnangagwa's predecessor Robert Mugabe, and securing international donor funding to revive a crippled economy.

Political tensions

Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa, reporting from Harare, said Zimbabweans expected the president to send a message of unity amid political tensions that occurred following the elections.

"He has to convince Zimbabweans that he will be the president for all citizens not only for the ruling ZANU–PF party," she said.

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Hours before Mnangagwa's inauguration, the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute said the country lacked a "tolerant democratic culture" in which political parties were treated equally and citizens allowed to vote freely.

The election was marred by procedural lapses and followed by an army crackdown against opposition supporters, undermining promises that Mnangagwa made during campaigning to break with the corruption and mismanagement that become endemic under Mugabe.

The crackdown, which left six people dead on August 1, recalled the heavy-handed security tactics that marked the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who was removed in a coup in November.</s>Emmerson Mnangagwa was officially sworn in as president of Zimbabwe on Sunday after winning a bitterly contested election that marked the country’s first vote since Robert Mugabe was ousted from power.

“I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe, I will be faithful to Zimbabwe (and) will obey, uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe,” Mnangagwa declared to thousands of supporters at a stadium in Harare.

“I will protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans so help me God.”</s>, Harare, Zimbabwe, Aug 26 – Emmerson Mnangagwa was officially sworn in as president of Zimbabwe on Sunday after winning a bitterly-contested election which was the country’s first since the ousting of strongman Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa, whose victory in the July 30 polls was challenged by the main opposition, pledged to “protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans” at an inauguration ceremony attended by thousands of supporters at a stadium in Harare.

“I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe (and) will obey uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe,” he said to thunderous applause from a crowd that also included several African heads of state.

“We must now focus on addressing the economic challenges facing our nation,” he said. “We are all Zimbabweans, what unites us is greater than what could ever divide us.

Since independence from Britain in 1980, Zimbabwe has known only two presidents — Mugabe, who ruled with an iron fist for 37 years, and his erstwhile right-hand man Mnangagwa.

Nicknamed “The Crocodile”, Mnangagwa was appointed after Mugabe was forced out by the military in November last year.

The newly-minted leader on Sunday hailed his victory as a new “dawn” for Zimbabwe after years of repression and economic mismanagement which left the country burdened by shattered public services, mass poverty and unemployment.

But his promises of reform and pledges to entice back investors were marred by the army opening fire on protesters, killing six shortly after the poll, as well as allegations of vote-rigging and a violent crackdown on opposition activists.

At the inauguration, Mnangagwa vowed to open a probe into the violence, which he called “regrettable and most unacceptable”.

Supporters, many wearing caps and T-shirts emblazoned with Mnangagwa’s image, filed into the stadium on Sunday under banners proclaiming “Celebrating a new Zimbabwe” and “Unity takes us forward, peace keeps us going.”

“We were stressed with what was happening with the court procedures but we are happy now because everything has been finalised and we want people to unite and work together,” said supporter Malvern Makoni of the opposition’s legal appeals over the vote.

Other supporters also expressed an appetite for reform.

“Our country is now going to develop with president Mnangagwa now in charge. Mnangagwa is the right man to lead Zimbabwe to prosperity,” said 41-year-old Blessing Muvirimi.

Mugabe did not attend the swearing-in but was represented by his daughter Bonu, who had previously called Mnangagwa a “traitor” after her father’s ousting.

Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF party won the election with 50.8 percent of the vote — just enough to meet the 50 percent threshold to avoid a run-off against his main opposition challenger Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3 percent.

International observers said the polls were largely free of the violence which characterised previous votes in Zimbabwe.

However, the European Union earlier expressed concern that Mnangagwa had benefited from heavy state media coverage.

Similarly, US monitors said Sunday that Zimbabwe had “not yet demonstrated that it has established a tolerant, democratic culture”.

The country’s top court on Friday dismissed Chamisa’s bid to have the results annulled on grounds they were rigged.

But the opposition leader has rejected that ruling and vowed to lead “peaceful protests”.

“I have a legitimate claim that I am supposed to lead the people of Zimbabwe,” Chamisa, who heads the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party, said Saturday.

“The court’s decision is not the people’s decision. The people who voted do not believe in (Mnangagwa). We have got a clear majority.”

Mnangagwa has sought to turn the page on the issue, calling for “peace and unity” in a televised address after the court decision.

“Let us put whatever differences we might have behind us. It is time to build our nation and move forward together.”</s>Mnangagwa won the election with 50.8 percent of the vote, just enough to meet the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a run-off against the main opposition led by Nelson Chamisa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – Emmerson Mnangagwa was officially sworn in as president of Zimbabwe on Sunday, August 26 after winning a bitterly contested election that marked the country's first vote since Robert Mugabe was ousted from power.

Mnangagwa, whose victory in the July 30 polls was challenged by the main opposition, pledged to "protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans" in an inauguration ceremony attended by a crowd of thousands at a stadium in Harare.

"I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe (and) will obey uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe," Mnangagwa said.

Once Mugabe's right-hand man, Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF party won the election with 50.8 percent of the vote, just enough to meet the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a run-off against the main opposition led by Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3 percent.

International observers said the polls were largely free of the violence which characterized previous votes in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe's top court on Friday dismissed Chamisa's bid to have the results annulled because of allegated of vote rigging. – Rappler.com</s>Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as president of Zimbabwe

HARARE: Emmerson Mnangagwa was officially sworn in as president of Zimbabwe on Sunday after winning a bitterly-contested election which was the country´s first since the ousting of strongman Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa, whose victory in the July 30 polls was challenged by the main opposition, pledged to "protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans" at an inauguration ceremony attended by thousands of supporters at a stadium in Harare.

"We must now focus on addressing the economic challenges facing our nation," he said. "We are all Zimbabweans, what unites us is greater than what could ever divide us.

Since independence from Britain in 1980, Zimbabwe has known only two presidents -- Mugabe, who ruled with an iron fist for 37 years, and his erstwhile right-hand man Mnangagwa.

Nicknamed "The Crocodile", Mnangagwa was appointed after Mugabe was forced out by the military in November last year.

The newly-minted leader on Sunday hailed his victory as a new "dawn" for Zimbabwe after years of repression and economic mismanagement which left the country burdened by shattered public services, mass poverty and unemployment.

But his promises of reform and pledges to entice back investors were marred by the army opening fire on protesters, killing six shortly after the poll, as well as allegations of vote-rigging and a violent crackdown on opposition activists.

At the inauguration, Mnangagwa vowed to open a probe into the violence, which he called "regrettable and most unacceptable".

Supporters, many wearing caps and T-shirts emblazoned with Mnangagwa´s image, filed into the stadium on Sunday under banners proclaiming "Celebrating a new Zimbabwe" and "Unity takes us forward, peace keeps us going."

Mugabe did not attend the swearing-in but was represented by his daughter Bonu, who had previously called Mnangagwa a "traitor" after her father´s ousting.

Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF party won the election with 50.8 percent of the vote -- just enough to meet the 50 percent threshold to avoid a run-off against his main opposition challenger Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3 percent.

International observers said the polls were largely free of the violence which characterised previous votes in Zimbabwe.

However, the European Union earlier expressed concern that Mnangagwa had benefited from heavy state media coverage.

Similarly, US monitors said Sunday that Zimbabwe had "not yet demonstrated that it has established a tolerant, democratic culture".

The country´s top court on Friday dismissed Chamisa´s bid to have the results annulled on grounds they were rigged. But the opposition leader has rejected that ruling and vowed to lead "peaceful protests".</s>JOHANNESBURG - Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as the President of Zimbabwe, one month after a historic election.

Mnangagwa ascended to power last year when Robert Mugabe was ousted.

The Zimbabwean Electoral Commission announced Mnangagwa as the winner of the election last month which was marred by post-election violence that led to the death of at least six people, after the opposition MDC Alliance prematurely declared itself the winners of the election.

The leader of the MDC Alliance, Nelson Chamisa, last week lost a court bid to challenge the election, after the Constitutional Court ruled that the evidence submitted to dispute the election was flawed.

Thousands of people, some bussed in from outside the capital, and foreign leaders were gathered at the country’s national stadium witness the swearing-in of Mnangagwa, who just secured the 50% of votes he needed to avoid a runoff against Chamisa.

The election was touted as a crucial step toward shedding the pariah reputation Zimbabwe gained under Mnangagwa’s predecessor Robert Mugabe, and securing international donor funding to revive a crippled economy.

But hours before Mnangagwa’s inauguration, the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute said the country lacked a “tolerant democratic culture” in which political parties were treated equally and citizens allowed to vote freely.

The election was marred by procedural lapses and followed by an army crackdown against opposition supporters, undermining promises that Mnangagwa made during campaigning to break with the corruption and mismanagement that become endemic under Mugabe.

The crackdown, which left six people dead on 1 August, recalled the heavy-handed security tactics that marked the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who was removed in a coup in November.

The US observers also urged “all sides to rely on peaceful expression and to avoid acts or threats of retribution against political rivals following the Constitutional Court’s decision.”

Washington has maintained travel and financial sanctions on senior ruling party officials, including Mnangagwa, as well as some state-owned firms. Washington’s support is key if Zimbabwe is to get any funding from the International Monetary Fund.

The European Union, meanwhile, has progressively removed sanctions and they only remain in place on Mugabe and his wife Grace.</s>HARARE, Aug 26 — Emmerson Mnangagwa was officially sworn in as president of Zimbabwe today after winning a bitterly contested election that marked the country’s first vote since Robert Mugabe was ousted from power.

Mnangagwa, whose victory in the July 30 polls was challenged by the main opposition, pledged to “protect and promote the rights of Zimbabweans” in an inauguration ceremony attended by a crowd of thousands at a stadium in Harare.

“I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe (and) will obey uphold and defend the constitution of Zimbabwe,” Mnangagwa said.

Once Mugabe’s right-hand man, Mnangagwa of the ruling ZANU-PF party won the election with 50.8 per cent of the vote — just enough to meet the 50 per cent threshold needed to avoid a run-off against the main opposition led by Nelson Chamisa, who scored 44.3 per cent.

International observers said the polls were largely free of the violence which characterised previous votes in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe’s top court on Friday dismissed Chamisa’s bid to have the results annulled because of allegated of vote rigging. — AFP</s>Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken the oath as Zimbabwe’s president in front of a stadium crowd after a divisive election, as US observers of the vote questioned the country’s democratic credentials.

The constitutional court confirmed Mnangagwa as president in a ruling released on Friday, dismissing a challenge by the opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa, who he defeated in the 30 July ballot.

Thousands of people, some bussed in from outside the capital, joined foreign leaders at Harare’s national stadium on Sunday for the inauguration of Mnangagwa, who narrowly secured the 50% of the vote he needed to avoid a runoff against Chamisa.

He took the oath before the country’s chief justice, Luke Malaba, whotogether with eight other constitutional court judges had dismissed Chamisa’s petition.

The election was seen as a significant step toward shedding the reputation Zimbabwe gained under Mnangagwa’s predecessor Robert Mugabe, and securing international donor funding to revive the country’s crippled economy.

Hours before the inauguration, however, US observers from the International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute said Zimbabwe lacked a “tolerant democratic culture” in which political parties were treated equally and citizens allowed to vote freely.

The election was marred by procedural lapses and was followed by an army crackdown against opposition supporters that undermined promises Mnangagwa had made during the election campaign to break with the corruption and mismanagement that became endemic under Mugabe.

The crackdown, in which six people died, recalled the heavy-handed security tactics that marked the 37-year rule of Mugabe, who was removed in a coup in November.

The US observers also urged “all sides to rely on peaceful expression and to avoid acts or threats of retribution against political rivals following the constitutional court’s decision”.

Washington has maintained travel and financial sanctions on senior officials of the ruling Zanu-PF party, including Mnangagwa, and some state-owned firms. US support will be key to Zimbabwe securing any funding from the International Monetary Fund.

The European Unionhas progressively removed sanctions, which now only remain on Mugabe and his wife Grace.</s>HARARE
• Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as Zimbabwe's president yesterday after a divisive election that has made United States observers of the vote question the country's democratic credentials.

The Constitutional Court, in a ruling released on Friday, confirmed Mr Mnangagwa as president and dismissed a challenge by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, who Mr Mnangagwa defeated in the July 30 ballot.

Foreign leaders and thousands of people - some bussed in from outside the capital - gathered at Harare's national stadium for the presidential swearing-in ceremony.

Mr Mnangagwa secured just 50 per cent of votes needed to avoid a run-off against Mr Chamisa.

The election was touted as a crucial step towards shedding the pariah reputation Zimbabwe gained under Mr Mnangagwa's predecessor Robert Mugabe, and securing international donor funding to revive a crippled economy.

But hours before Mr Mnangagwa's inauguration, the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute said the country lacked a "tolerant democratic culture" in which political parties were treated equally and citizens allowed to vote freely.

The election was marred by procedural lapses and was followed by an army crackdown on opposition supporters, undermining the promises Mr Mnangagwa made during campaigning to break with the corruption and mismanagement that became endemic under Mr Mugabe.

The US has maintained travel and financial sanctions on senior ruling party officials, including Mr Mnangagwa, as well as some state-owned firms.

Washington's support is key if Zimbabwe is to get any funding from the International Monetary Fund.

The European Union, meanwhile, has progressively removed sanctions. They remain in place only for Mr Mugabe and his wife Grace.</s>Military-backed Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as Zimbabwe's president - just one month after a heavily disputed election.

The newly-appointed president, who again took the oath of office, now faces the mammoth task of rebuilding a worsening economy and uniting a nation deeply divided by a vote that many hoped would deliver change.

The 75-year-old, who took power from his mentor Robert Mugabe with the military's help in November, said 'my door is open and my arms are outstretched' to main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa.

It comes after the Constitutional Court on Friday rejected opposition claims of vote-rigging and upheld the president's narrow July 30 victory.

'It is time to move forward together,' said Mr Mnangagwa, who has promised democratic and economic reforms after Mr Mugabe's repressive 37-year rule.

Mr Chamisa on Saturday said he respectfully rejects the court ruling and called the inauguration 'false'.

He said: 'They know they can't invite me to a wedding where I was the one supposed to be receiving the gifts.'

His spokesman Nkululeko Sibanda on Sunday said: 'we haven't received any formal invitation'.

Mr Chamisa, 40, has called for dialogue with Mr Mnangagwa but suggested that talks on power sharing must first acknowledge the opposition leader's alleged victory.

'You cannot steal my goats and then ask me to come and share them with you,' he said.

Ruling party spokesman Paul Mangwana criticised Mr Chamisa for saying he will snub the inauguration.

Mr Mangwana said: 'It is important for nation-building at this critical time. The problem is the (Movement for Democratic Change party) did not give us a good opposition leader, they gave us a schoolboy, so he is playing schoolboy politics.'

Upbeat supporters of the president and ruling Zanu-PF party filled the 60,000-seat National Sports Stadium in the capital Harare.

Some said they woke before dawn to catch buses and trucks in villages hundreds of kilometres away.

The mood was less enthusiastic in central Harare, an opposition stronghold.

'He is not my president, why should I go?' asked one resident, Emmanuel Mazunda.

Analysts say Mr Mnangagwa's immediate tasks in his five-year term should include solving severe cash shortages and high unemployment that has forced thousands of people into the streets as vendors.

Millions of others have fled the country over the years.

The government badly needed a credible election to end its status as a global pariah, have international sanctions lifted - Mr Mnangagwa himself remains under US sanctions - and open the door to investment.

Final reports are pending from dozens of Western election observers invited for the first time in nearly two decades.

Observers noted few issues on a peaceful election day but expressed concern about 'excessive use of force' two days later, when six people were killed as the military swept into the capital to disperse protests.

On Saturday, the joint mission of the US-based International Republican Institute and the National Democratic Institute said Zimbabwe 'has not yet demonstrated that it has established a tolerant, democratic culture that enables the conduct of elections in which parties are treated equitably and citizens can cast their vote freely'.

Giving the blessing before the oath of office, religious leader Andrew Wutawunashe appealed to US President Donald Trump and other leaders to lift sanctions, to cheers.

He said: 'We are saying to you ... we have at last found a man who can make our small nation a great nation. Please help him.'
Emmerson Mnangagwa is sworn in as the President of Zimbabwe, after an assassination attempt two months earlier.