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Tendai Rupapa in NIAMEY, Niger

First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has been elected Vice President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) in recognition of her philanthropic work and assistance to the less privileged in Zimbabwe.

She was elected during the ongoing 23rd OAFLAD’s General Assembly Meeting which is running concurrently with the African Union’s Extraordinary Summit.

According to the organisation’s constitution, elections are held after every two years.

Amai Mnangagwa takes over from Margaret Kenyatta of Kenya while former OAFLAD president, the First Lady of Burkina Faso, Adjoavi Sika Kabore was replaced by Congo Brazaville’s First Lady Antoinette Sassou Nguesso.

OAFLAD is an advocacy organisation where First Ladies of Africa seek to leverage their unique position to advocate for policies that make health services accessible and laws that boost women and youth empowerment.

In an interview after her election, an ecstatic Amai Mnangagwa pledged to continue working hard for the development of Zimbabwe and the continent at large.

She said her election was not an individual achievement but that of the whole country.

“I am happy that my colleague First ladies entrusted me with this position. I feel exalted and this is dedicated to all women (of Zimbabwe),” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa said the position she got as OAFLAD’s Vice President was not for her alone but for the nation of Zimbabwe particularly women.

“All what it means is that the other African First Ladies have faith and trust in me and I pledge to continue working hard for my nation and the continent at large. The other First Ladies are looking forward to more of my initiatives and programmes that I am conducting in Zimbabwe,” she said.

The First Lady said the organisation’s main vision was to have a developed Africa with a health and empowered children, youth and women.

“When my fellow First Ladies talk of these issues concerning development, they will not forget about our country Zimbabwe,” she said.

Amai Mnangagwa said she will make sure that OAFLAD is known across the globe so that people will have an appreciation of what it is about.

“We are the mothers of our nations hence we should show commitment and working harder for our countries.

“I will also encourage other African First Ladies who are not members of OAFLAD to join and make sure that they be part of us.

“This is a platform where we share ideas thereby learning from others and taking the experience back to our countries for the development of our continent,” she said.