HARARE – President-elect Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Sunday sworn in for his first five-year term as the President of Zimbabwe by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

"I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as President of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and will obey, uphold and defend the Constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe,” said Mnangagwa while taking the oath of office.

His inauguration at the National Sports Stadium came after the Constitutional Court on Friday dismissed an application by opposition leader Nelson Chamisa seeking to overturn his victory in the July 30 polls.

According to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Mnangagwa polled 50.67 percent of the vote against nearest rival Chamisa’s 44.3 percent.

Chamisa challenged the result alleging various electoral irregularities. However, the top court dismissed the petition, saying the youthful opposition leader had failed to provide evidence to back his rigging claims.

Xinhua