Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has cautioned citizens not to take for granted or abuse the freedoms which he claims he gave to them when he became president a year ago.

In a report by on the state owned Herald newspaper, Mnangagwa implored citizens to "entrench constitutionalism and promote democratic values", and not quickly forget that before his administration took over power, the citizens had no freedom!

The president made the remarks at Morris Depot during the Presidential Graduation Parade organized to mark the one year anniversary of Operation Restore Legacy that saw him replace Robert Mugabe.

While speaking at the event, he said:

"The advent of the new dispensation and the Second Republic saw the expansion of democratic space in our country, as enshrined in our Constitution. This culminated in the holding of peaceful, free, fair and credible harmonized general elections.
"However, it is regrettable that some retrogressive, unpatriotic and selfish individuals are bent on abusing the democracy we now enjoy."

Since over a year in power, the president has continued to come under increased criticism from the opposition led by the country’s main opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa and propagated by a large section of the country's citizenry who have taken advantage of the media to express their concerns over the current administration, saying it is a weak extension of the Mugabe led regime.

You will recall that the opposition have continued to accuse the president of being 'an illegal military junta who stole the July 30 election'. Something which the government feels is gross abuse of freedom of expression.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa won the July 30 elections with 50.8% of votes, which ensured he narrowly missed a run-off election against his main rival, Nelson Chamisa who closely ended the elections with 44.3% of the country's votes in the 10 province results declared.

Nelson Chamisa would later accuse the electoral commission of fraud, something his supporters still champion till date.
African exponent