Zimbabwe: the first independence ceremony without Mugabe

Zimbabwe celebrated her 38th anniversary on Wednesday, April 18th, For the first time, this anniversary took place without former President Robert Mugabe, who was forced to resign last November under pressure from the army. So, his successor, Emmerson Mnangagwa, gave a speech, largely devoted to economics, at a ceremony in the Harare stadium.

In front of several thousand people, President Emmerson Mnangagwa opened Zimbabwe’s Independence Day celebrations, lighting up the flame of independence in Harare Stadium.

During this ceremony, the head of state called on Zimbabweans to be patient. “We need to modernize our economy,” he told the crowd.

“Let’s work hard, together we can overcome the difficulties,” he wants them to believe the new leader of the country. He promised to reform laws to open the economy to foreign investors.

Layoffs in response to social discontent

The new government is under pressure to revive the economy and improve the living conditions of the population. After a few months of calm, discontent has resurfaced.

This week, several thousand public sector nurses went on strike to demand better wages. Protests to which the government responded with massive dismissals.

Sign that just a few months before the presidential elections, the government will not tolerate any social crisis.