PRESIDENT E. D. MNANGAGWA’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS

National Sports Stadium, Harare

Friday 24th November 2017

Salutations

Fellow countrymen, I feel deeply humbled by the decision of my Party, Zanu-PF, inviting me to serve our great Nation, the Republic of Zimbabwe, in the capacity of President and Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, with effect from today.

I admit that I hold no particularly unique qualifications that sets apart from the deep pool of able citizens of our Party and Land, who otherwise could have been chosen to occupy this onerous office. But even as I make constant reference to my Party, Zanu-PF, I am not oblivious of the many Zimbabweans from across the political, ethnic and racial divide who have helped make this day and who thus have legitimate expectations from the office I now occupy. The decision of my Party is merely for purposes of political identification, as I intend, nay am required to serve our country as the President of all citizens regardless of colour, creed, religion, tribe, totem or political affiliation.

Let me at this stage pay special tribute to one of, and the only surviving father of our Nation, Cde Robert Gabriel Mugabe. He led us in our struggle for National Independence, and assumed responsibilities of leadership at the formative and very challenging time in the birth of our Nation. That is to be lauded and celebrated for all times.