No regret: ED Mnangagwa fails to apologise, praises killers

Zwnews Chief Correspondent

Zimbabwe’s President- elect Emmerson Mnangagwa in his Defence Forces Day national address at the National Sports Stadium yesterday, failed to condemn the murderous acts by his soldiers who killed civilians in Harare last week.

Mnangagwa also did not apologise to the nation, but chose to heap praises to the country’s security forces, and mentioned the killings of civilians as if were of no significance.

He praised the killers and blamed the MDC-Alliance.

 “I am deeply concerned with the violence that rocked the streets of Harare at the instigation of some members of the MDC- Alliance leadership which resulted in the regrettable loss of lives, injury to persons and damage of property.

“I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and relatives of politically motivated violence. We strongly condemn these barbaric acts of violence,” he said.

Meanwhile, MDC-Alliance president Nelson Chamisa has blasted Mnangagwa for lacking the sense of remorse over what happened, and for preaching hate speech.

Chamisa says national events and public holidays should be unifying and pacifying events, adding that the non-partisan statesmanship and great leadership, is what Mnangagwa lacks.

President Mnangagwa neither attributed the killings to the soldiers nor did he promise the nation to deal with any bad apples within the security forces.

Some analysts believe by doing so the President who according to the Constitution is the only one with the power to deploy soldiers, showed the whole world that they acted under his orders.

“A real leader could have apologised to the nation, and promise to deal with the unruly behaviour within his forces. At least this could have given people assurance that the soldiers who killed civilians did it out of orders.

“If I were him, I could have said this; ‘I am deeply sorry about the behaviour of some of the members of our defence forces who killed civilians as if they were enemies in wartime.

“This unruly act has no place within our security forces, and I would like to assure the nation that we will weed them out and see to it that they are brought to book,”  said a political analyst who declined to be named.

In a related matter, renowned political analyst, and lawyer Alex Magaisa says 2 weeks after elections, the country is still directionless, with the ruling party that doesn’t take responsibility even when it should.