Zimbabwe held fair elections, it’s time to lift sanctions, Mnangagwa tells world leaders at UN

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa addresses the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York on 21 September 2023. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP)

• Emmerson Mnangagwa said the elections in Zimbabwe were free, fair, transparent and credible.
• Cyril Ramaphosa said the SADC preliminary report outlined challenges the body would look into.
• Both Mnangagwa and Ramaphosa called for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe by the US and EU.

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday in New York boldly told the world that his re-election was free and fair – and then asked for sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe to be removed.

He was addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78).

“Zimbabwe continues to entrench democracy, constitutionalism, good governance and the rule of law, following the recently held 2023 Harmonised General Elections.

“I am pleased to highlight that our country enjoyed peace, before, during and after our free, fair, transparent and credible elections,” he said.

Numerous international observer missions said the elections were marred by irregularities.

It ranged from pre-election suppression of the opposition, such as the banning of rallies, up to election day, when there were ballot paper shortages in some constituencies.

This then led to elections in those areas being pushed to the following day.

One of the most candid reports on elections in Zimbabwe was produced by the SADC mission.

Since the release of the reports, Zimbabwe has been on an offensive against Zambia, from which the observer mission’s team leader, Nevers Mumba, is a former vice president.

In an interview with the SABC from New York, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the final report would be discussed by the SADC bloc because the preliminary report raised numerous challenges.

“We are waiting to receive that report, as SADC, so that we can deal with it. Once the report is put before the SADC body, we will then debate it. We will also hear representations from Zimbabweans as well as from the Observer Mission,” he said.

Mnangagwa reiterated what Ramaphosa said during his UNGA78 address – that it is time for the removal of sanctions on Zimbabwe.

“These sanctions were designed to subjugate the sovereign will of the Zimbabwean people. We, therefore, demand that the unjustified unilateral sanctions be unconditionally lifted,” he said.

He claimed that Zimbabwe was the fastest-growing economy in Southern Africa in the last three years.

Independent economic watchers say annual inflation stands at 641% and is among the highest in the world.

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