President Cyril Ramaphosa is in the spotlight for attending the inauguration of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa amid controversy about the Zanu-PF leader’s re-election.
Mnangagwa's re-election last week remains contested by opposition parties who accuse the Zanu-PF party of vote racketeering.
TimesLIVE reported that election observers, including Southern African Development Community (Sadc), found the elections were not free and fair and that there were cases of intimidation, coercion and irregularities.
The head of their delegation, former Zambian vice-president Nevers Mumba, said the elections fell short of the requirements of Zimbabwe’s constitution.
“The elections fell short of the requirements of the constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the Sadc principles and guidelines governing democratic elections (2021),” the Sadc prelim report read.
Ramaphosa was invited to the inauguration and arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday for the event. Not everyone was happy about his decision to grace the red carpet for Mnangagwa's inauguration.
Leader of Build One SA Mmusi Maimane was among those who criticised Ramaphosa for attending the event.
“The people of South Africa do not agree to this. We are suffering daily because of the collapse of Zimbabwe and you Cyril Ramaphosa are going to shake hands with the root cause of our problems in Sadc. Mandela would never. Sankara would never. Lumumba would rather die.”
POLL | Do you think Ramaphosa should have attended Zim president's inauguration amid vote racketeering allegations?
Image: Elmond Jiyane/Business Day
President Cyril Ramaphosa is in the spotlight for attending the inauguration of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa amid controversy about the Zanu-PF leader’s re-election.
Mnangagwa's re-election last week remains contested by opposition parties who accuse the Zanu-PF party of vote racketeering.
TimesLIVE reported that election observers, including Southern African Development Community (Sadc), found the elections were not free and fair and that there were cases of intimidation, coercion and irregularities.
The head of their delegation, former Zambian vice-president Nevers Mumba, said the elections fell short of the requirements of Zimbabwe’s constitution.
“The elections fell short of the requirements of the constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the Sadc principles and guidelines governing democratic elections (2021),” the Sadc prelim report read.
Ramaphosa was invited to the inauguration and arrived in Zimbabwe on Monday for the event. Not everyone was happy about his decision to grace the red carpet for Mnangagwa's inauguration.
Leader of Build One SA Mmusi Maimane was among those who criticised Ramaphosa for attending the event.
“The people of South Africa do not agree to this. We are suffering daily because of the collapse of Zimbabwe and you Cyril Ramaphosa are going to shake hands with the root cause of our problems in Sadc. Mandela would never. Sankara would never. Lumumba would rather die.”
The debate continues on social media:
TimesLIVE
READ MORE:
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The ANC’s shameless endorsement of Zim’s rigged election is a warning to us
EDITORIAL | Disillusioned Zimbabweans may vote again — with their feet
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