Shingirai Vambe
HARARE – President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s dream of re-engagement with the West and return the country to the Commonwealth of Nations could suffer a still birth following the use of live ammunition by soldiers against protesters on August 01, resulting in the death of six people.
In the wake of the grisly shootings, the Commonwealth election observer mission issued a statement calling for calm.
“We categorically denounce the excessive use of force against unarmed civilian…tragically this has resulted in a number of fatalities and injuries, we extend our sympathies to the families and loved ones of all those affected by these deeply troubling incidents.
“The rule of law should be respected, and all parties should exercise patience and restraint. We urge the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to speed up the process of counting and announce the result,” former president of Ghana, John Mahama said in a statement on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Mahama said the Commonwealth mission had deployed its observers to all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe after a 16-year absence.
The government regards rejoining the Commonwealth one of the key strategies of getting rid of Zimbabwe’s years of international pariah status and unlocking Western capital which is critical for the revival of the country’s collapsed economy.local
