Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa addresses the annual conference of the ruling ZANU-PF party in Esigodini, Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe, Dec. 14, 2018. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Wednesday that the ruling ZANU-PF party does not intend to invite the opposition to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) following its resounding victory in the July 30 tripartite elections. (Xinhua/Shaun Jusa)
ESIGODINI, Zimbabwe, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday reiterated that his ruling ZANU-PF party will not form a government of national unity with the opposition MDC Alliance.
He told the party's annual conference in Esigodini, Matabeleland South that ZANU-PF got an overwhelming mandate to govern in the July 30 polls, hence no need for a coalition government.
"We were given a fresh mandate to govern Zimbabwe for the next five years, full stop. No government of national unity. The votes came from all corners of the country and it was a resounding vote for which I am truly grateful," he said.
Mnangagwa won the polls by 50.6 percent, beating his main challenger and MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa who polled 44.3 percent of the votes.
The ruling party also garnered a two-thirds parliamentary majority.
However, Chamisa and his party have refused to accept Mnangagwa's election victory and are calling for political dialogue with Mnangagwa to come up with what the opposition party calls a "national transitional mechanism" to take the country forward.
Mnangagwa said ZANU-PF will not be deterred by "irritating noise" from the opposition as it now focuses on implementing policies to grow the economy and uplift the living standards of the people.
Under Mnangagwa's leadership, Zimbabwe is aiming to become a middle income country by 2030.
"We must focus on implementing sustainable development programs and fulfill the promises we made to the electorate in our manifesto," he said.
Addressing the same gathering, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said Mnangagwa will be the party's presidential candidate in the 2023 elections.
