Ex VP Emmerson Mnangagwa Sworn In As President Of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as the 3rd President of Zimbabwe in Harare, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe.

Taking his oath of office, the 75-year-old former security chief known as ‘The Crocodile’ vowed to uphold the constitution of the former British colony and protect the rights of Zimbabwe’s 16 million citizens.

“I, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, swear that as president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and obey, uphold and defend the constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe,” he said, taking an oath of office.

Even though most Zimbabweans celebrated the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, some were worried about the future under Mnangagwa.

In particular, they questioned his role in the so-called Gukurahundi massacres in Matabeleland in 1983 when an estimated 20,000 people were killed in a crackdown on Mugabe’s opponents by the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade.

Newly sworn in Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa (C) walks after taking the oath of office at the national sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare, on November 24, 2017 during the Inauguration ceremony.
Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president on November 24, marking the final chapter of a political drama that toppled his predecessor Robert Mugabe after a military takeover. / AFP PHOTO / Marco Longari (Photo credit should read MARCO LONGARI/AFP/Getty Images)

Mnangagwa had, however, denied any part in the atrocities since his return to Zimbabwe after two weeks in hiding and had been preaching democracy, tolerance and respect for the rule of law.

“The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,” he told thousands of supporters on Wednesday at the headquarters of his ruling ZANU-PF party.

Mugabe, the world’s oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament started to impeach him, a week to the day after the army stepped in to seize power.

TOPSHOT – Newly sworn in Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa (L) takes the oath of office at the national sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare, on November 24, 2017 during the Inauguration ceremony.
Zimbabwe’s ousted vice president was set to be sworn in as president on November 24, 2017, marking the final chapter of a political drama that toppled his predecessor after a military takeover. / AFP PHOTO / Marco Longari (Photo credit should read MARCO LONGARI/AFP/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, when Mnangagwa and Mugabe spoke for the first time since his (Mnangagwa’s) return to the country, and he assured Mugabe and his family that they would be safe in Zimbabwe, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday.

The new Zimbabwean leader was sworn in, in front of thousands of cheering supporters at Harare’s national stadium.