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President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Tendai Mugabe recently in Windhoek, Namibia
GOVERNMENT is encouraged by the overwhelming support it is receiving from Sadc and beyond and is geared towards developing the economy and improving livelihoods, President Mnangagwa has said.

Speaking after meeting President Hage Geingob at the Namibian State House here where he apprised him on the political situation in Zimbabwe following the resignation of Cde Mugabe on November 21 last year, Cde Mnangagwa said the transition in Zimbabwe was peaceful and the country was now focusing on rebuilding the economy that had been on a downward spiral for the past decade.

“We are focusing now on issues of development of our economy and bettering the conditions of our people and we are receiving support from all Sadc member-countries as well as from countries beyond our region,” he said on Monday.

“We are receiving positive signals of cooperation in the area of economic cooperation,” he said.

“I have assured His Excellency that the relations between Zimbabwe and Namibia will continue to strengthen and deepen and that as our African culture, we shall continue to respect and preserve the legacy of our former President Mugabe. We will look after him, giving all the security and comfort possible. He is our founding father of the nation and an icon on African politics and the region as well as a revolutionary. That legacy, we are determined to preserve. So, I have assured my brother that this is what we are going to do.”

President Mnangagwa continued: “The transition in Zimbabwe was very smooth and I felt I should inform my seniors in Sadc. I first went to brief the chairman of Sadc President Jacob Zuma, thereafter I went to brief the chairman of the Sadc Organ on Politics Defence and Security President Joao Lourenco of Angola. Then number three, I am here now informing my brother and senior, President of Namibia. After tomorrow, I will be going to Mozambique to brief President (Filipe) Nyusi there. Thereafter, I will proceed to Zambia and then Botswana. Perhaps, I will go to the other Sadc countries in February but these are the countries I am going to visit during January.”

President Mnangagwa paid tribute to President Geingob saying he was one of the sitting heads of State who contacted him when was in exile in South Africa following his unjustified expulsion from Zanu-PF and Government.

He said a joint permanent commission of the two countries would meet soon to discuss various issues beneficial to the two nations.

President Geingob said: “We as close friends of Zimbabwe, have always been watching what was happening in Zimbabwe with great interest. I had to talk to my brother during those difficult times.”

He said Africans were mature people who could solve their own problems.

President Geingob said Zimbabwe and Namibia were close friends adding that most African countries now had new leaders.

President Mnangagwa will visit China in April as his new administration intensifies re-engagement efforts with all countries of the world to rebuild the economy.

Addressing Zimbabweans resident in Namibia he said:

“In relation to international relations, on that subject, 35 minutes after I was sworn in, I was sent an envoy Mr Rory Steward by Mrs Theresa May (British Prime Minister) and the message was that they would want to have good relations with Zimbabwe. Open up again, re-engage. As an old focus, I said I am very happy that Britain has opened its door because Zimbabwe’s doors have been open all along, so we will be equal. Secondly, because this a surprise move by the UK which we welcome whole heartedly — at the time I didn’t have a Cabinet. I was just alone. I told him I needed my Cabinet first, so that we look at priorities and see which areas you can come in and assist.

“Then the second envoy came from the Peoples’ Republic of China and the message was the same. I will be going to China in April and working out areas of cooperation in that regard. But besides, we have envoys as well as messages of encouragement and congratulations from like (Angela) Merkel and want Germany to work with us, from (Vladimir) Putin in Russia the same, Brazil the same, India the same and from the Pope. Very few people receive congratulatory messages from the Pope and I received one myself.

“You can see the goodwill across the board, from Australia, from Canada to mention just a few and there are so many delegations coming to Zimbabwe on various areas of economic activity and cooperation and we are very happy with that. I can also see that our people, with a focused administration, are ready to work. They are ready to move.”

He explained events that led to his elevation as the Head of State and Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. He said he was lampooned in public at nine Presidential youth interface rallies.

President Mnangagwa left the gathering in stitches when he said the 10th interface rally was a church gathering held in Harare where instead of preaching the word of God, the gospel was about beating him like a snake. The following day he was fired from his position as Vice President.