PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has said assuming the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) chairmanship was a proud moment for the country.
Mnangagwa took over the rotational regional bloc’s chairmanship from Angolan President João Lourenço during last week’s summit held in Mt Hampden.
Since then, government departments and parastatals have been stampeding to congratulate Mnangagwa, with some pro-government musicians having already composed songs praising the President for the honour.
A huge banner congratulating Mnangagwa was erected during the burial of national hero Elasto Madzingira at the National Heroes Acre in Harare yesterday.
Speaking during burial, Mnangagwa said the nation was gratified by assuming the Sadc chairmanship.
“The Sadc chairmanship, I assumed is ours together. Our nation has every reason to be proud. I say to you all congratulations. Thank you Zimbabwe,” he said.
“On behalf of the government of Zimbabwe and on my behalf, may I express my deep sense of gratitude to all the people of our great motherland, Zimbabwe, for the unity, peace and warm hospitality we all demonstrated before and during the just-ended 44th Ordinary Sadc Summit of Heads of State and Government.
“The same spirit of unity, hard work and peace should be jealously guarded and nurtured as we accelerate the development of our country.”
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Meanwhile, in an apparent jibe to opposition politicians who in the past have demanded Sadc-monitored elections, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage minister Kazembe Kazembe said they did not need to book flights to meet Mnangagwa.
Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa recently said Mnangagwa’s chairmanship would help the country to cleanse its bad image.
“There have been concerted efforts to paint the country as a pariah State, but with President Mnangagwa assuming the Sadc chairmanship, the will come to know Zimbabwe because he is leading a bloc of 200 million people in a region where you find most of the minerals,” he said.
