Zimbabwe’s president tells supporters they will go to heaven if they vote for his party this month
Associated PressHARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s president urged thousands of his supporters at a rally on Wednesday to deliver a “thunderous victory” in this month’s national election and proclaimed that “no one will stop us from ruling this country.” President Emmerson Mnangagwa said that people who vote for his ruling ZANU-PF party — which has been in power for 43 years — would go to heaven. Main opposition leader Nelson Chamisa said in an interview with The Associated Press last week that Zimbabweans often face the threat of deadly violence if they don’t support the ruling party. Zimbabwe has a history of violent elections and although Mnangagwa told his supporters to act peacefully, he also blamed Zimbabwe’s insecurity on “negative forces” outside the country, repeating the kind of rhetoric that former President Robert Mugabe used to blame the country’s woes on others, most notably Western nations. But Mnangagwa has instead strengthened ties with China and Russia, and hosted Iran’s president for a state visit last month, when Mnangagwa spoke of solidarity and said both were “victims” of Western sanctions.
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