By Staff Reporter

MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa has sensationally claimed he received congratulatory messages from UN secretary general Antonio Guterres as well as the UK and US governments for “winning” the July 30 presidential poll.

Chamisa, who polled 44,3 percent of the vote compared to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s 50,8 percent, was speaking to South African state broadcaster, SABC Wednesday.

“We are engaging the international community to continue to support the people of Zimbabwe. Most of them have congratulated us for the victory,” he said.

“I have had calls from the secretary general of the United Nations, the British government, from the United States; they have all said, ‘you have done very well’.”

However, British Prime Minister Theresa May, who is on a three nation visit of Africa, seemed to have endorsed Mnangagwa already, indicating Zimbabwean elections were an opportunity for the troubled country to find its way back into the international fold.

But Chamisa said he was still going to be inaugurated as the country’s leader even after Mnangagwa has taken oath of office.

“We won this election,” he said.

“They (international community) were waiting for the declaration of the Constitutional Court but beyond that, I have not been able to hear their views.

“They know we won this election. They have the information; they have their own reports. This is now in our hands as Zimbabweans and that’s why we are saying we will deliver them an outcome on the basis of who we are.”

He added, “We have the authority. This country belongs to the people. There is going to be a proper inauguration very soon.

“New Zimbabwe is coming, you will see it. The people of Zimbabwe will ultimately take destiny in their own hands. You remember what happened with (former President Robert) Mr Mugabe in November. Did you foresee that?”

Mugabe was removed from power through a military coup November last year.

The shock incident triggered an internal Zanu PF process that saw his deputy, Mnangagwa installed in his place.

Chamisa denied he hoped to get assistance from the military.

“I am not saying you will see the same but there are many unforeseeables in circumstances where the people want their freedom.

“We don’t go and get legitimacy from the army. We don’t ask the army to vote for us.

“Ofcourse we have a problem of the role of the military in our politics so that we roll back the frontiers of their role in politics. They are a people’s military and have to be professional,” he said.

Chamisa said Zimbabwe’s Constitution supports revolutionary change of government.

“The Constitution actually supports revolutions; that’s why it calls for demonstrations that are peaceful.

“We are going to exhaust the Constitution in terms of section 59, that gives us the power to demonstrate legally and peacefully.

“Mr Mnangagwa knows he was defeated. They did what they did but you know they can run but they can’t hide,” said the opposition leader.