Staff Reporter

As the country edges closer to this year’s 43rd Independence celebrations, President Mnangagwa has reminded the West that Zimbabwe was a sovereign State and not a mere Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) of some western countries.

Writing in his weekly column in The Sunday Mail yesterday, President Mnangagwa said that Zimbabwe was proud of its national sovereignty and was not inferior to any western country.

“Much worse, we reject as utterly racist and condescending this practice of making our proud and sovereign Nation an equal, if not a junior of some Western non-governmental centre, institute or foundation. We are no one’s subaltern, least of all of some non-governmental organization. Never again will we subject ourselves to such false, humiliating equivalences,” said President Mnangagwa.

The President added that going forward; only countries who invite us to observe their own elections in future would also be invited to do the same in Zimbabwe.

“We go to elections as sovereign nations, indeed as State Parties of the United Nations; its hallowed Charter makes all Nations equal, regardless of size and age; however these are reckoned or claimed. State Parties relate to each and to one another on equal terms, with respect, and strictly on the basis and principle of reciprocity. Going forward, only those Nations who invite us to observe their own elections in future will also be invited to do the same here,” added President Mnangagwa.

Meanwhile, the President said that very soon Zimbabwe would be insisting on the principle of reciprocity when it comes to the practice of international election observation. He added that the theory and practice of election observation must be on the basis of equality and reciprocity among nations, anything less or one-sided diminishes and creates a deep sense of bruise and injury to our sovereignty.