Harare (New Ziana) – Visiting Malawian Minister of Homeland Security, Kenneth Zikhale Reeves Ngo’ma on Wednesday commended Zimbabwe for holding the recent general elections in a peaceful environment.

Several foreign observers who were in the country also said the August 23 polls were held in a peaceful and calm atmosphere.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa was re-elected, and his ruling Zanu-PF party also won the majority seats in parliament.

Ng’oma, who represented Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera at President Mnangagwa’s inauguration on Monday, said the peaceful conduct of the election in Zimbabwe should be emulated.

“We are grateful for having seen the presidential and harmonized elections which were peaceful, peaceful than ever. We never thought Zimbabwe would conduct such a peaceful election in an environment where there are sanctions. This is great,” he said.

President Mnangagwa beat ten other presidential contenders, winning 52.6 percent of the vote to secure a second five-year term.

Ng’oma said Zimbabwe had achieved a lot in terms of economic development despite the existence of western sanctions against the country.

“We appreciate the manner in which you are fixing the economy, and we are borrowing some of the strategies that you are doing,” he said.

Zimbabwe and Malawi enjoy cordial bilateral relations, and recently the two governments signed a number of co-operation agreements.

New Ziana