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Nduduzo Tshuma, Political Editor
THE inauguration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Sunday marked the end of the country’s election season making way for real work aimed at reviving the country’s economy.

The inauguration came after a Constitutional Court decision last Friday to uphold President Mnangagwa’s victory in the July 30 presidential elections after dismissing a challenge by MDC Alliance leader Mr Nelson Chamisa.

Mr Chamisa had approached the court seeking to nullify President Mnangagwa’s victory, alleging “rigging”, among other “electoral irregularities”.

However, Mr Chamisa’s legal counsel led by Advocate Thabani Mpofu failed to convince the full bench of nine judges led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

The legal team could not support their claims with adequate evidence, resulting in the dismissal of their case.

Not much will be said of Mr Chamisa save to remind readers of his false bravado exhibited ahead of the elections, during and post polling.

His claims of overwhelming rigging ahead of the ConCourt challenge were reminiscent of his address in Mutare in January when he claimed US President Donald Trump had promised them $15 billion if they won the July 30 polls.

The US was quick to dismiss as lies Mr Chamisa’s claims, but the MDC Alliance, unrestrained by the embarrassing incident, went on to concoct more lies in a bid to win the people’s vote.

History will record, from all these incidents, that Mr Chamisa has a remarkable ability to mislead people with a straight face and even invokes the name of God in his deceitful ways.

After the dismissal of Mr Chamisa’s court action, the inauguration had to be held within 48 hours.

After Sunday’s inauguration, the country waits for President Mnangagwa to name his Cabinet, then the real work towards the turnaround of the country’s economy starts.

On his part, President Mnangagwa has shown his vision in the eight months that he finished former President Mr Robert Mugabe’s term after the country’s first executive President resigned in November 2017.

Within those eight months, President Mnangagwa changed the culture of doing things in all levels of government to ensure effective management of the country.

He went on a charm offensive seeking investment for the country, mending and strengthening relations with countries in a bid to restore the country’s status among the community of nations.

Addressing thousands that witnessed his inauguration, President Mnangagwa reiterated his commitment to servant leadership.

“I am your listening President, a servant leader. In this vein, those who will occupy public office at any level, under my Government will be required to exercise servant leadership in the execution of their duties and to be humble and responsive in their interactions and dealings with the citizenry.

“Equally, the bureaucracy in the Second Republic will be expected to be development oriented, responsive to the people’s needs as well as exhibit high principles of professional ethics and integrity,” said President Mnangagwa.

“My administration will therefore expect public sector officials to deliver quality and timely services to the people as well as facilitate business, trade and investment. Bureaucratic bottlenecks, unnecessary delays, lethargic and corrupt activities will not be tolerated.

“We must as a society encourage and inculcate a culture of hard honest work. The prosecution of perpetrators of corruption will be carried out without fear or favour. In the Second Republic, no person or entity will be allowed to steal, loot or pocket that which belongs to the people of Zimbabwe. No one is above the law. This is a New Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe we all want.”

President Mnangagwa said as per his pledge during the campaign trail, his Government will be implementing devolution of Government powers and responsibilities that will see provinces planning and growing their respective economies.

“Economic development at every level is the ultimate goal. I therefore challenge local authorities in the Second Republic, to be the engines of local economic development and growth. My Government will not stand by and watch people suffer due to dereliction of duty, corruption or incompetence within our local authorities.

“It will not be easy, but as the Holy Bible teaches us: ‘For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. We have indeed endured; we have toiled; and now as we walk in unity the path that lies ahead, we will reap a better and more prosperous future,” said President Mnangagwa.

“As I have repeatedly said in the past months, real change does not happen overnight. However, inspired by our national anthem, we must work together, nothing is beyond our reach. With love and unity, we will reach the Promised Land, we will build the Zimbabwe we all want, brick upon brick, stone upon stone.”

It is the duty therefore of every patriotic Zimbabwean to support President Mnangagwa in his vision for a better Zimbabwe under the Second Republic.

To those men and women that will be appointed to Cabinet, the President has already shown the direction he wants Zimbabwe to take. It is important therefore that they walk in step with the President towards the revival of the country, for anything less will be a betrayal of the vision of President Mnangagwa.

At the ruling Zanu-PF level, factionalism and petty squabbles should be left in the old dispensation as the party has to be seen complementing Government efforts to turn around the country’s economy.

There have been reports of the “bhora musango” campaign by some within the party, but the crushing victory of the party in the polls should shame such characters.

It was refreshing to see Mr Mugabe sending a congratulatory note to President Mnangagwa and the hope is that going forward, he conducts himself in a manner that will not further taint his legacy as one of the country’s liberation icons.

Mr Mugabe, in a letter to President Mnangagwa, said he and his wife Mrs Grace Mugabe failed to attend the inauguration due to ill health, but sent his daughter Mrs Bona Chikore to represent him and also deliver the letter.

Zimbabwe’s neighbours have also expressed readiness to work with the country and help towards returning the country to its former glory.

It is therefore a golden opportunity for the country to get back on track to prosperity.

Behold the Second Republic and as has become President Mnangagwa’s sign off, “God Bless Zimbabwe”.