Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa says elections must be credible

Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Friday the ruling ZANU-PF party should aim to always hold free and fair elections, a day after saying the polls could be held sooner than expected.

The international community will be closely watching the next elections in 2018. The vote is due at the end of July in 2018 but there is talk it could be brought forward to as early as March.

Mnangagwa, who became leader of the southern African nation last month after the military and ruling ZANU-PF turned against Robert Mugabe who had ruled the country for 37 years, was addressing a special congress in downtown Harare.

Mnangagwa is expected to be endorsed by the ruling party as its leader and presidential candidate in elections due in 2018 which the international community will be closely watching.

“Democracy bids that as a political party, ZANU-PF must always compete for office through pitting itself against opposition parties in elections which must be credible, free, fair and transparent,” he said.

(REUTERS)