Updated: President Mnangagwa arrives in Uganda

Kampala, (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Tuesday arrived in Uganda where he will be the guest of honour at the country’s independence celebrations on Wednesday.

Uganda, a former British colony, will be marking 57 years of independence on October 9.

The designation of President Mnangagwa as special guest at the celebrations symbolises growing ties between the countries, and success of the government’s engagement and re-engagement policy.

On arrival at Entebe International Airport, President Mnangagwa was immediately whisked away to State House for a bilateral with host President, Yoweri Museveni.

The two leaders are on Wednesday expected to fly to the remote district of Sinkoro, about 210 kms from Kampala, where the independence commemorations will take place.

Reports say it was in Sinkoro that liberation fighters that President Museveni led against former President Idi Amin got the most support.

President Museveni last year officially opened the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo and has been a strong backer of Harare in its call for the lifting of western imposed sanctions.

The embargo was imposed two decades ago to force Harare to reverse its land reforms, which involved compulsory acquisition of excess white-owned land to resettle landless blacks to economically empower them.

The sanctions have caused economic damage estimated at US$100 billion in the last 20 years, retarded development and impoverished millions of Zimbabweans.

The regional Southern African Development Community has also lately come out in support of Zimbabwe over the sanctions, and decided at its summit in August to collectively take up the campaign against the embargo.

President Mnangagwa has endeared himself to many world leaders and countries since taking office in 2017, by carrying out deep political and economic reforms to stop Zimbabwe’s haemorrhage.

This also includes taking a tough stance against corruption, which is another cause of the country’s bleeding.
New Ziana