by Patience Rashai

Zanu PF Presidential candidate in the just-ended 2018 harmonised elections, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, has been declared duly elected President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, according to section 110 of the constitution.

Addressing journalists at the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) command centre, ZEC chairperson Priscilla Chigumba announced that Emmerson Mnangagwa had retained as President of Zimbabwe after garnering 2 460 463 votes (50,8% of the total votes), beating his main rival from the MDC Alliance, Nelson Chamisa who got 2 147 436 votes representing 44,3% of the votes cast.

Congratulatory messages have already started streaming in, with South African President, and SADC Chair, Cyril Ramaphosa and Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi having sent congratulatory messages to President Mnangagwa on his election as Zimbabwe’s President.

Fikile Mbalula, South African former Minister of Police and Economic Freedom Fighters leader, Julius Malema, also congratulated President Mnangagwa.

“Congratulations Cde President and all peace-loving Zimbabweans should accept the results. You fought a good fight honourable Chamisa and we remain inspired,” he wrote on his twitter handle.

Other Zimbabwean politicians, from the previous Mugabe administration have also embraced the new Government with former Highfield MP, Psychology Maziwisa twitting, “I had the privilege of congratulating the First lady this morning and of telling her how proud I am of the spirited campaign that @edmnangagwa put up in this election on behalf of Zanu PF. It is vital that we now look forward to economic progress in peace and unity.”

The just-ended elections gives President Mnangagwa and Zanu PF party firm control of Government business after securing another two-thirds majority in Parliament with 163 seats against MDC Alliance’s 64 seats.