APA-Harare (Zimbabwe) Zimbabwe’s President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn-in for a second and final term of office on Monday during a ceremony to be attended by three of his Southern African Development Community (SADC) peers and a handful of other leaders.
Mnangagwa, who was re-elected following disputed general elections held on August 23-24, would be sworn-in by Chief Justice Luke Malaba at the National Sport Stadium.
He garnered 52.6 percent of the vote against 44 percent for his main rival Nelson Chamisa.
SADC leaders who are expected to grace the occasion are Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Another SADC member state, Tanzania, would be represented by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa.
Other dignitaries expected to attend include Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, Rwanda’s president of the Senate François Xavier Kalinda and Nigerian vice-president Kashim Shettima.
The Zimbabwean elections were marred by controversy, including issues with the voters’ roll, the banning of opposition rallies, reports of biased state media coverage and voter intimidation.
They were condemned by observer missions from SADC and other regions as lacking credibility.
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, who chairs the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation that deployed the observer mission from the region, is not expected to attend.
JN/APA