Powerful nations push for SADC Summit on Zim crisis- senior government official

A senior government official says one Southern African Development Community (SADC) member state is being pushed by powerful nations to lobby for a summit on Zimbabwe.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana says other SADC countries have seen through the ploy and it is not going to happen.

“There is some treacherous lobbying going on by one SADC member state to have an Extraordinary Summit on Zimbabwe.

“The other members are seeing through this and it’s not going to happen. This agenda being pushed by this member state is not its own. It’s doing a hatchet job for some powerful nations,” he says.

According to Mangwana, President Mnangagwa’s inauguration was attended by representatives of various African governments as a sign of endorsement.

“The swearing-in ceremony was witnessed by South African President H.E Cyril Ramaphosa; Mozambican President H.E Filipe Jacinto Nyusi; Democratic Republic of Congo President H.E Felix Tshisekedi Tshilombo; Eswatini Prime Minister the Right Honourable Cleopas Dlamini; former Mozambique President H.E Joachim Chissano; former Zambian President H.E Edgar Lungu; His Honour the Vice President of Botswana, Slumber Tsogwane; the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Zambia, Honourable Stanley Kakubo; the Minister of Homeland Security from Malawi, Honourable Ken Zikhale Ng’oma; and SADC Deputy Executive Secretary Ambassador Joseph Nourrice. Local dignitaries included Vice President General (Retired) Constantino Chiwenga, former Vice Presidents Joice Mujuru and Phelekezela Mphoko, and former First Lady Grace Mugabe,” he says.

Mangwana believes Zimbabweans voted for Mnangagwa giving him the mandate to run the affairs of the country for the next five years.

However, President Mnangagwa’s re-election is subject for debate as it was said to be an outcome of a flawed electoral process.

Observer Missions including the SADC Electoral Observer Mission condemned the polls as not have been free and fair.

Zwnews