HARARE
–
Former
information
minister
Webster
Shamu,
famed
for
his
extravagant
praise
of
Zimbabwean
leaders,
has
turned
his
attention
to
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa,
hailing
his
just-ended
chairmanship
of
the
Southern
African
Development
Community
(SADC)
as
a
triumph
for
the
nation.
Raising
a
point
of
national
interest
in
Parliament
on
Thursday,
the
Zanu
PF
Chegutu
East
MP
—
who
chairs
the
Foreign
Affairs
and
International
Trade
Committee
—
described
Mnangagwa’s
tenure
as
SADC
chair
as
“about
action,
not
words.”
“There
are
moments
and
achievements
that
go
beyond
political
party
persuasion;
they
speak
to
us
as
Zimbabweans,
united
in
pride
and
purpose.
This
chairmanship
is
one
such
moment,”
Shamu
declared.
He
credited
Mnangagwa
with
spearheading
regional
development
projects,
citing
the
Beitbridge–Harare–Chirundu
Highway,
the
Mbudzi
Traffic
Interchange,
the
expansion
of
Robert
Gabriel
Mugabe
International
Airport’s
VIP
pavilion,
and
the
commissioning
of
Hwange
Units
7
and
8,
which
added
new
power
to
the
national
grid
and
beyond.
Mnangagwa
handed
over
the
SADC
chairmanship
to
Madagascar’s
President
Andry
Rajoelina
at
the
45th
summit
hosted
in
Harare
last
week.
“On
that
very
day,
Madagascar
and
Mauritius
signed
the
Agreement
Amending
the
Treaty,
bringing
to
15
the
members
that
have
signed
up
—
thanks
to
the
leadership
prowess
of
His
Excellency,
the
President,”
Shamu
said.
He
went
on
to
claim
that
Zimbabwe
had
received
commendation
from
fellow
member
states
for
“lifting
regional
integration
to
new
heights,”
adding:
“This
proves
that
Zimbabwe
does
not
simply
occupy
a
seat
in
SADC
—
Zimbabwe
leads,
Zimbabwe
inspires,
and
Zimbabwe
delivers.
Let
us
then
commend
His
Excellency,
Dr
Emmerson
Dambudzo
Mnangagwa,
for
his
distinguished
tenure,
and
may
the
foundations
he
laid
continue
to
guide
our
region
towards
unity,
peace
and
shared
prosperity.”
Shamu,
once
Robert
Mugabe’s
most
loyal
cheerleader
—
he
once
famously
said
he
wished
he
were
Mugabe’s
son
—
has
in
recent
years
redirected
his
effusive
praise
towards
Mnangagwa.