Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa says Mugabe is fine

WINDHOEK, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said his administration is taking care of the former President Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa who paid a courtesy call on Namibia's President Hage Geingob in Windhoek Monday said Mugabe is fine.

"Don't worry comrade president, the change of power was peaceful and we are taking care of comrade Robert Mugabe. He is fine," Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa also revealed that Geingob was one of the three leaders who contacted him when he fled to South Africa last year.

"He comforted me. But that period is now over. We can all go back to develop our countries," Mnangagwa said.

Mnangagwa fled to South Africa on Nov. 8, 2017, a day after former President Robert Mugabe had dismissed him as the vice president.

The military intervened on Nov. 14, 2017, and Mugabe was forced to resign on Nov. 21 after the ruling party Zanu-PF pushed for impeachment.

Mnangagwa was inaugurated on Nov. 24 as the state president and the first secretary of Zanu-PF.

Namibia's former presidents Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba attended Mnangagwa's inauguration in Harare.

Mnangagwa also said that his one-day courtesy call was to brief President Geingob on the new Zimbabwean administration.

Geingob who received a sculpture of a bull said he was happy that Mnangagwa had visited him.

"I am also happy that the transition of power in Zimbabwe was handled by Africans. You did not see Washington there or any other Western countries. It shows that we have matured as Africans," Geingob said.

Addressing the currency issue, Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was not adopting the rand.

"I don't know where those rumours are coming from, but they are unfounded. We will work towards getting our Zimbabwean currency in the future," he said.

Mnangagwa also said he had no advice to give to the Namibian government on how to deal with the issue of land.

"There is no simple equation to solve the land issue, but it must be done through a lot of dialogue, and correct procedures must be followed," he said. Enditem