US lauds Zimbabwe’s historic presidential poll

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON

The U.S. on Friday welcomed Zimbabwe’s historic presidential elections, hailing them as an important step in overcoming the nation’s political and economic crises.

"Zimbabwe’s July 30 elections presented the country with a historic chance to move beyond the political and economic crises of the past and toward profound democratic change," State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a press statement.

Noting the high turnout by Zimbabweans to cast their votes, Nauert said the U.S. remains centered on helping the country through this transition and working with the new government on political, economic and human rights issues.

Incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner of the presidential poll by a narrow margin.

Mnangagwa, a 75-year-old former spy chief, succeeded Robert Mugabe in November after a military coup.

The Zimbabwe Election Commission said Mnangagwa, of the ruling Zimbabwe African National-Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF), won 50.8 percent of the vote while 44.3 percent went to Nelson Chamisa of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change Alliance (MDC Alliance).