Harare(November 24, 2017): Emmerson Mnangagwa, whose removal as vice president by Robert Mugabe led to the veteran leader’s ouster, was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s new president on Friday.
“I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as the 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 as he took the oath of office before the chief justice, watched by a jubilant crowd of tens of thousands of people.Mr Mnangagwa, until recently one of Mr Mugabe’s closest allies, took the oath of office at the national sports stadium on the outskirts of Harare before scores of supporters, dignitaries and foreign diplomats.
Mugabe, who ruled the southern African country for 37 autocratic years, was ousted from office when the military intervened after he had sacked Mr Mnangagwa as vice president.
Mr Mugabe, 93 and in increasingly frail health, had been positioning his wife Grace as his successor, but the army chiefs acted to halt the plan and usher in Mr Mnangagwa.
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