South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa posted a congratulatory message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Monday night, almost two days after the ZANU PF leader was declared winner in Zimbabwe’s disputed polls held on 23 August.
The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) announced Mnangagwa as the winner with 52.6 percent of the vote.
CCC leader Nelson Chamisa polled 44 percent, according to ZEC, but the opposition leader rejected the results alleging rigging.
In a message posted on X, Ramaphosa congratulated Mnangagwa for his victory despite SADC and other international observer teams’ refusal to endorse the polls. Wrote Ramaphosa:
I congratulate President Emmerson Mnangagwa on his re-election. I wish him and the people of Zimbabwe well for the upcoming term.
In a statement posted on his website earlier on Monday, Ramaphosa congratulated Zimbabwe for successfully holding general elections “under a difficult economic environment”.
Ramaphosa said he had taken note of preliminary pronouncements by various election observer missions, and urged Zimbabweans to work together for peace and development.
The President Of Namibia, Hage Geingob, and the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, have both congratulated President Emmerson Mnangagwa after he was declared the winner in the 23 August elections.
More: Pindula News