Mudavadi to attend Mnangagwa’s inauguration in Harare
Kenya will be represented at Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnagagwa’s inauguration by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
The event is set to take place in Harare on September 4, 2023.
The Kenyan government, in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, indicates that Mudavadi’s presence symbolizes Kenya’s commitment to maintaining strong diplomatic relations with Zimbabwe and its continued support for democracy in the region.
“On behalf of the government and the people of Kenya, H.E President William Ruto congratulates President-elect, H.E Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa on his re-election for a second term. Furthermore, H.E President William Ruto commends the people of the Republic of Zimbabwe for peacefully exercising their constitutional right during the election process,” the statement read.
Mudavadi will represent President Ruto, who is hosting 20 Heads of State and government at the Africa Climate Change platform in Nairobi between September 4-6, 2023.
Mnangagwa emerged victorious in the tightly contested polls, as confirmed by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC).
He secured approximately 53 percent of the total vote, outpacing his main rival, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change party, by approximately 380,000 votes.
The elections were however marred by reports of irregularities, with a section of observers pointing out at the delays in transmission of voter materials in areas perceived to be strongholds of the opposition, among others.
The opposition has contested the results but were yet to move to court to challenge the results by press time.
This is the second win for Mnagangwa, nicknamed the crocodile, over Chamisa in an election. Mnangagwa took over power after his former friend and long-term boss Robert Mugabe (now deceased) was forced to step aside by the military in 2017.
Mnangagwa’s immediate task will be to try and bring together what appears a polarised nation divided almost through the middle by the contentoius election, and fixing the economy that is still hurting from the sanctions imposed on the Southern African country by the West.
This is the second time Mudavadi, considered third in command in the hierachy, is attending an African President’s inauguration.
He was also present when Nigeria President Bola Tinubu was sworn in Abuja in May 2023.
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