Zimbabwe's President sworn in following disputed election
Harare, Aug 27 : The President of Zimbabwe took the oath of office on Sunday, calling for unity following a disputed election that the opposition claimed was marred by fraud.
Emmerson Mnangagwa, 75, won the July 30 election with 50.6 per cent of the vote, after ascending to the presidency in November 2017 following a military coup that ousted longtime leader Robert Mugabe, under whom he served as Vice President.
"We are all Zimbabweans; what unites us is greater than what could ever divide us," Mnangagwa said via his official Twitter.
"Let me assure you that tomorrow is brighter than yesterday! Let us look forward to the journey ahead," his statement continued, calling it "a journey of development, progress and prosperity".
Ex-president Mugabe and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa, a 40-year-old lawyer, did not attend the swearing-in ceremony held in front of a large crowd at the National Sports Stadium in the capital Harare, Efe reported.
Chamisa had rejected Friday's decision by the country's top court dismissing opposition claims of electoral fraud, citing a lack of evidence, and on Saturday declared himself the actual winner and called for peaceful protests.
Chamisa told members of the press on Saturday that he was not invited to the ceremony because "they know they cannot invite me to a wedding where I was the one supposed to be receiving the gifts".
On August 1, two days after the election, at least six opposition protesters were shot dead by police and army forces, which used live ammunition, water cannons and tear gas against demonstrators who took to the streets claiming vote-rigging even before the results were officially announced.
In his inaugural address, Mnangagwa announced he would appoint a commission to investigate the six deaths during the post-election violence.
Mnangagwa and Mugabe come from the generation of politicians who fought to end white-minority rule and who have run Zimbabwe since winning independence in 1980, while Chamisa sought to tap into younger voters, as 60 per cent of the country's 5.6 million registered voters were under 40.
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Indian men's team clinches inaugural Kho Kho World Cup title after women's victory
New Delhi: The Indian men's team beat Nepal 54-36 in the final to win the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup title here on Sunday.
The Indian men's team title came after the women's side were also crowned the champions after defeating Nepal in the final.
The Men in Blue dominated the final against Nepal with captain Pratik Waikar and tournament standout Ramji Kashyap leading from the front.
Attacking first, an exceptional sky dive by Ramji Kashyap got Nepal's Suraj Pujara. Suyash Gargate then touched Bharat Sahu to give India a great start with 10 points in just four minutes.
Sky dives were the name of the game for the Men in Blue, and this ensured a bright start for the side in Turn 1, preventing the Dream Run for their opponents. At the end of the turn, the scoreline was 26-0 in favour of the Indians.
In Turn 2, Nepal were not able to match India's levels but did prevent the home side from going on a single Dream Run.
Aditya Ganpule and skipper Pratik Waikar carried the team through this turn, and despite regular touches from the likes of Janak Chand and Suraj Pujara, India carried a 26-18 lead into the second half of the clash.
India were in their stride in Turn 3, displaying unwavering confidence throughout. Captain Pratik Waikar shone on the mat with multiple sky dives, and with the support of Ramji Kashyap, another star of the tournament.
Aditya Ganpule was also at his finest, and the home team's collective effort took the score to 54-18 entering the final turn of the match -- and the tournament.
Nepal fought hard in Turn 4 in their bid to come back against India. But the defenders, once again led by Pratik Waikar and Sachin Bhargo proved too strong. Mehul and Suman Barman were equally impressive.
India showcased their dominance throughout the tournament, beginning with convincing victories over Brazil, Peru and Bhutan in the group stages. Their momentum continued through the knockout rounds, where they outclassed Bangladesh in the quarterfinals before overcoming a strong South African side in the semifinals.
MEN'S & WOMEN'S KHO KHO TEAM WON THE WORLD CUP
— SPORTS ARENA🇮🇳 (@SportsArena1234) January 19, 2025
Men's Kho Kho Team won the title defeating 🇳🇵 54-36.
Women's Kho Kho Team clinched the World Cup title defeating 🇳🇵 74-40. pic.twitter.com/9ruJ79IKJ6
