Emmerson Mnangagwa

==President of Zimbabwe==
{{Update|section|date=October 2023}}
===Re-election===
Re-elected Aug 27, 2023 for second term.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Binley |first1=Alex |title=Emmerson Mnangagwa: 'The Crocodile' wins second term as Zimbabwe president |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-66631185 |website=BBC News |date=27 August 2023 |publisher=BBC |access-date=10 October 2023 |ref=27}}</ref>
===Inauguration===
Mnangagwa was sworn in as President of Zimbabwe on 24 November 2017 at the [[National Sports Stadium (Zimbabwe)|National Sports Stadium]] in Harare, before a crowd of around 60,000.<ref name=":102">{{Cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/24/africa/mnangagwa-swearing-in-zimbabwe/index.html|title=Zimbabwe's 'Crocodile' Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as leader|last1=McKenzie|first1=David|date=24 November 2017|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=25 November 2017|last2=McKirdy|first2=Euan|last3=Dewan|first3=Angela}}</ref><ref name=":11">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42115622|title=Zimbabwe's new president Mnangagwa vows to 're-engage' with world|date=24 November 2017|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=25 November 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref> Entertainment was provided by Zimbabwean singer [[Jah Prayzah]], and attendees included several African leaders, foreign dignitaries, and domestic political figures, including opposition leaders [[Morgan Tsvangirai]] and [[Joice Mujuru]].<ref name="bbcnov242">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42100283|title=Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa takes power and vows to serve all citizens|date=24 November 2017|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=25 November 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref> Foreign leaders who attended included Vice-President [[Mokgweetsi Masisi]] of Botswana, President [[Filipe Nyusi]] of Mozambique, Zambian President [[Edgar Lungu]] and former President [[Kenneth Kaunda]], and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia [[Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud]] and former Namibian presidents [[Sam Nujoma]] and [[Hifikepunye Pohamba]] and current Vice-President [[Nickey Iyambo]].<ref>{{cite web |title=#Mugabe and Grace PICTURED with former Namibian presidents Nujoma and Pohamba |url=http://nehandaradio.com/2017/11/25/mugabe-pictured-former-namibian-presidents-nujoma-pohamba/ |website=Nehanda Radio |access-date=1 September 2021 |date=25 November 2017}}</ref><ref name="AlJazzeera2017-11-24a" /> [[Rory Stewart]], the [[United Kingdom]]'s Minister of State for Africa and the first British minister to visit Zimbabwe in two decades, attended the inauguration, and issued a statement describing the change in leadership as "an absolutely critical moment" after Mugabe's "ruinous rule".<ref name="AlJazzeera2017-11-24a">{{cite web|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/171124062450311.html|title=Emmerson Mnangagwa sworn in as Zimbabwe president|first=Tendai |last=Marima |date=24 November 2017|access-date=26 November 2017|publisher=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera]]|quote=The swearing-in ceremony was attended by a number of regional dignitaries and international diplomats, including Botswana's President Ian Khama, who received a huge welcome following his repeated calls in recent days to Mugabe to step down. Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi and his Zambian counterpart Edgar Lungu, as well as Zambia's former President Kenneth Kaunda were also in attendance. Also present was Rory Stewart, Africa minister for Britain, Zimbabwe's former colonial power. ... Before the ceremony, Stewart, the first British minister to visit Zimbabwe in two decades, described in a statement the change in leadership as "an absolutely critical moment" after Mugabe's "ruinous rule.}}</ref> Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace were notably absent, the official explanation being that the former president needed to rest.<ref name="bbcnov242" /><ref name="FT2017-11-24a" /> South African President [[Jacob Zuma]] was also absent, but was represented by his [[Minister of Telecommunications and Postal Services (South Africa)|Telecommunications Minister]], [[Siyabonga Cwele]].<ref name="FT2017-11-24a">{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/9e097872-d0f9-11e7-b781-794ce08b24dc|title=Mnangagwa sworn in as Zimbabwe's president|first1=Joseph |last1=Cotterill |first2=David |last2=Pilling |date=24 November 2017|access-date=26 November 2017|newspaper=[[Financial Times]]|quote=The former president, who had ruled the country since independence from Britain in 1980, did not attend the ceremony. ... But a notable absence was South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, who sent his telecommunications minister to represent Zimbabwe's most important neighbour.}}</ref><ref name="Lagazettadelsudafrica2017-11-24a">{{cite web|url=http://www.lagazzettadelsudafrica.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2836:minister-cwele-to-represent-south-africa-at-president-mnangagwa-inauguration&catid=11&Itemid=124|title=Minister Cwele to represent South Africa at President Mnangagwa inauguration|date=24 November 2017|access-date=26 November 2017|publisher=La Gazzetta del Sudafrica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171124101826/http://www.lagazzettadelsudafrica.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2836:minister-cwele-to-represent-south-africa-at-president-mnangagwa-inauguration&catid=11&Itemid=124|archive-date=24 November 2017|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Mnangagwa was sworn in by [[Chief Justice of Zimbabwe|Chief Justice]] [[Luke Malaba]].<ref name="bbcnov242" /> In his inaugural speech, he vowed to serve all citizens, reduce [[Corruption in Zimbabwe|corruption]], and revitalize the country's struggling economy.<ref name=":102" /> He distanced himself from President Mugabe by promising to "reengage with the world",<ref name=":11" /> but also paid tribute to his predecessor, praising him as "a father, mentor, comrade in arms, and my leader".<ref name=":102" /><ref name="bbcnov242" /> He also said that Mugabe's [[Land reform in Zimbabwe|post-2000 land reform programmes]] would be maintained, but that white farmers would be compensated for their seized land.<ref name="Telegraph2017-11-24a" /> Ahead of the [[2018 Zimbabwean general election|2018 general election]], Mnangagwa held a public meeting for an audience of [[white Zimbabweans]] in [[Borrowdale, Harare]] in which he was seen to concede that many white farms which had been seized under land reform programs had gone to government officials, soldiers and tribal chiefs who did not know much about farming, before asking whites to work with his government. The speech both drew mixed responses among opposition politicians and was seen by commentators as a shift from Mugabe's policies and an attempt to court white voters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/zimbabwes-president-mnangagwa-woos-white-voters-with-reassurances/a-44773889|title = Zimbabwe's President Mnangagwa woos white voters with reassurances &#124; DW &#124; 21.07.2018|website = [[Deutsche Welle]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-54011620|title=Is Zimbabwe extending an olive branch to its white farmers?|work=BBC News|date=3 September 2020}}</ref>

Mnangagwa called for an end to [[European Union]] and [[United States]] sanctions against top Zimbabwean military and ZANU–PF figures (including himself), and stated that the [[2018 Zimbabwean general election|2018 general election]] would be held as planned.<ref name=":11" /><ref name="Telegraph2017-11-24a">{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/24/emmerson-mnangagwa-set-sworn-new-zimbabwe-president/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/24/emmerson-mnangagwa-set-sworn-new-zimbabwe-president/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=President Emmerson Mnangagwa promises to pay compensation for land grabs and clean up Zimbabwe's 'poisoned politics' as he is sworn in|first1=Roland |last1=Oliphant |first2=Peta|last2=Thornycroft|date=24 November 2017|access-date=26 November 2017|newspaper=Telegraph|quote=he ... called on the international community to lift sanctions in recognition of the country's "new start" ... and called for the EU and the United States to drop sanctions against top military and ZANU PF figures.}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/24/emmerson-mnangagwa-sworn-in-as-zimbabwes-president|title=Emmerson Mnangagwa promises 'free and fair' elections in Zimbabwe|last=Burke|first=Jason|date=24 November 2017|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=25 November 2017|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="News24-2017-11-23a">{{cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/Africa/Zimbabwe/zimbabwes-new-leader-mnangagwa-still-under-us-sanctions-20171123|title=Zimbabwe's new leader Mnangagwa still under US sanctions|date=23 November 2017|access-date=26 November 2017|publisher=[[News24 (website)|News24]]|quote=Zimbabwe's incoming leader remains under United States sanctions for his activities as Robert Mugabe's deputy and enforcer.}}</ref>

=== Foreign relations ===
{{see also|List of international presidential trips made by Emmerson Mnangagwa}}
[[File:Ilham Aliyev met with Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa 01.jpg|thumb|Mnangagwa with Azerbaijani President [[Ilham Aliyev]] in January 2019]]
[[File:Mnangagwa and Putin met during sidelines Russia-Africa Summit, 27 July 2023.jpg|thumb|Mnangagwa and Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] on 27 July 2023]]
On 18 January 2018, Mnangagwa signalled his desire to re-engage with the West by inviting the [[United Nations]], [[European Union]] and the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] to monitor elections in Zimbabwe in 2018.<ref name="WestRelations">{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/05ad2492-fc38-11e7-9b32-d7d59aace167|title=Zimbabwe's president seeks to build bridges with west|access-date=2018-01-19|language=en}}</ref> Additionally, Mnangagwa has signalled his wish to re-establish good [[United Kingdom–Zimbabwe relations|relations]] with the [[United Kingdom]] and additionally rejoin the Commonwealth, a prospect which he said was improved by the [[Brexit|British exit from the European Union]].<ref name="WestRelations" />

On 3 March 2021, newly inaugurated President [[Joe Biden]] of the [[United States]] issued a statement that criticizes Mnangawa for violent repressions of citizens and lack of democratic reforms, authorizing an extension of US sanctions on Zimbabwe through a US national emergency declared in [[s:Executive Order 13288|Executive Order 13288]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-03|title=A Letter on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Zimbabwe|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/03/a-letter-on-the-continuation-of-the-national-emergency-with-respect-to-zimbabwe/|access-date=2022-01-25|website=The White House|language=en-US}}</ref> Prior to the US's decision, Mnangawa had claimed the US has "no moral right to levy sanctions" on Zimbabwe.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-19|title=US has 'no moral right to levy sanctions' on Zimbabwe, says President Mnangagwa|url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20210119-united-states-has-no-moral-right-to-levy-sanctions-on-zimbabwe-emmerson-mnangagwa-africa-capitol-attack-democracy|access-date=2022-01-25|website=RFI|language=en}}</ref>

In July 2023, Mnangagwa attended the [[2023 Russia–Africa Summit]] in Saint Petersburg and met with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Putin Gives Zimbabwe Leader Mnangagwa a Helicopter, and Grain |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-28/putin-gives-zimbabwe-leader-mnangagwa-a-helicopter-at-russia-africa-summit |work=Bloomberg |date=28 July 2023}}</ref> Mnangagwa voiced support for the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Zimbabwe and Uganda leaders meet with Russian President Putin |url=https://www.africanews.com/2023/07/28/zimbabwe-and-uganda-leaders-meet-with-russian-president-putin/ |work=Africanews |date=28 July 2023}}</ref>


Mnangagwa has set himself apart from historical world leaders being the first documented death row inmate to later become President and then ban the death penalty. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/zimbabwes-government-backs-a-move-to-abolish-the-death-penalty-having-last-hanged-someone-in-2005/ar-BB1hVBA8 | title=MSN | website=[[MSN]] }}</ref>

===Cabinet===
On 27 November 2017, Mnangagwa dissolved the [[Cabinet of Zimbabwe]] and appointed only two acting ministers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/headlines/mnangagwa-dissolves-cabinet-chinamasa-appointed-acting-finance-minister/|title=Mnangagwa dissolves cabinet, Chinamasa appointed Acting Finance Minister – The Zimbabwe Mail|date=27 November 2017}}</ref>  Misheck Sibanda, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, issued a statement saying: "To allow for uninterrupted services in critical ministries of government, the following have been appointed ministers in acting capacity until the announcement of a new cabinet: Honourable [[Patrick Chinamasa]] as acting minister of finance and economic development, and Honourable [[Simbarashe Mumbengegwi]] as acting minister of foreign affairs."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/africa/zimbabwes-new-president-appoints-interim-cabinet-12172064|title=Zimbabwe's new president appoints interim cabinet|work=IOL News|date=27 November 2017|access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref>  His new cabinet was named on 30 November 2017.<ref name=":26">{{cite web|url=http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/main/mnangagwa-announces-new-cabinet/|title=Mnangagwa announces new Cabinet|date=30 November 2017|publisher=Zimbabwe Mail|access-date=1 December 2017}}</ref>

===Criticism===
On 3 December 2017, his new cabinet appointments were criticised which led to him replacing two of his [[Cabinet of Zimbabwe|cabinet ministers]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nation.co.ke/news/africa/President-Mnangagwa-criticised--over-Cabinet-appointments/1066-4212986-us0397/index.html|title=Zimbabwe leader criticised over Cabinet appointments|work=Daily Nation|access-date=2017-12-04|language=en-UK}}</ref>

On 6 December 2017, Mnangagwa was criticised because members of the armed forces and police services drove vendors from the streets of [[Harare]] and took the goods which they were attempting to sell. Some of the vendors were heard saying Mnangagwa was worse than [[Robert Mugabe]] and that "Mugabe was in a way better, he never sent soldiers to take away our goods."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/special-features/zimbabwe/zimbabwean-vendors-pushed-from-streets-as-army-police-start-raids-12283212|title=Zimbabwean vendors pushed from streets as army, police start raids {{!}} IOL News|access-date=2017-12-06|language=en}}</ref>

=== Assassination attempt ===
{{Main|2018 Bulawayo bombing}}
Whilst leaving the podium after addressing a rally at White City Stadium in [[Bulawayo]], the country's second-largest city, and ahead of the scheduled 31 July elections, a grenade was thrown at Mnangagwa and exploded. Mnangagwa escaped unharmed, although several members of the [[ZANU-PF]] party were injured, including his first and second vice-presidents—[[Constantino Chiwenga]] and [[Kembo Mohadi]]—as well as [[Marry Chiwenga]], the first vice-president's wife.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-44586218|work=[[BBC News]]|title=Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa says he was 'inches' from Bulawayo explosion|date=23 June 2018}}</ref>

===Fuel protests===
{{further|Zimbabwe fuel protests}}
[[File:Zimbabwe inflation rate 2018 to 2019.svg|right|280px|thumb|A graph of data released by the [[Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe]] showing the spike in inflation in the months leading up to the fuel rate hike]]
In January 2019, Mnangagwa announced fuel prices would be raised by 130% in an attempt to stop oil smuggling activities where offenders would buy petrol and transport it to surrounding countries. A financial and energy crisis stemmed from [[Zimbabwean bond coins]] and [[Zimbabwean bond notes|bills]], with a value purportedly tied to the [[United States dollar|U.S. dollar]], but being in reality worth noticeably less. For this reason, the proxy currency was being treated as being at a greater value than its actual worth, resulting in artificially low prices; the exportation of fuel purchased with this currency for resale with profits by smugglers presented significant problems as [[hard currency]], which backs the proxy, is used by the nation to purchase all of Zimbabwe's oil from foreign countries, thus aggravating inflation and driving down the real value of the bond notes. As a measure to decrease the inflation rate, which had reached a peak of 18% in October 2018, the Mnangagwa government raised prices to effectively the highest in the world while keeping the bond currency, exceeding Hong Kong's fuel prices, the highest until that time;<ref>{{cite news|work=BBC World|last=Giles|first=Christopher|date=19 January 2019|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46878267|title=Reality Check: Why has Zimbabwe hiked petrol prices?}}</ref> nationwide protests broke out after the price increase was announced. The police and military responded with a crackdown that resulted in hundreds of arrests and 12 deaths.<ref name="moneyWeb">{{Cite web |url=https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news-fast-news/death-toll-from-zimbabwe-protests-rises-to-12-rights-body-says/ |title=Death toll from Zimbabwe protests rises to 12, rights body says | date= 20 January 2019 |website=MoneyWeb |language=en-ZA |access-date=21 January 2019}}</ref> Mnangagwa stated that claims of misconduct by the security forces would be investigated.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/mnangagwa-zimbabwe-vows-probe-protest-crackdown-190122061559113.html|work=[[Al Jazeera English|Al Jazeera News]]|title=Mnangagwa back in Zimbabwe, vows to probe protest crackdown|date=22 January 2019}}</ref>