HARARE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has denied allegations of election rigging in the presidential election held at the end of August, saying that his victory was based on the merits of his accomplishments over the preceding five years, local media reported Thursday.
The president told business leaders that the government's position was earned through merit. "I can assure you, we did not rig. We are where we are by merit, total merit, just like yourselves," Mnangagwa was quoted by The Herald, a leading daily newspaper in the southern African country, as saying.
Mnangagwa secured the election with 52.6 percent of the vote, surpassing his challenger, Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens' Coalition for Change, who garnered 44 percent, according to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.
Chamisa, however, contested the results, alleging that the electoral body's data were inaccurate and that the elections were marred by irregularities. In response to the assertion, the government said it encouraged the parties seeking to challenge the validity of the vote to go through legal channels.
According to the report, Mnangagwa outlined some of his plans for the next five years, emphasizing the government's commitment to implementing pro-business policies to foster a conducive environment for increased production while reducing the cost of doing business.
He pledged to introduce sector-specific initiatives to sustain the current surge in production, assuring that his administration aimed to meet the aspirations of Zimbabweans for improved living conditions and inclusive development. ■
