Zimbabwean President Mnangagwa congratulates new opposition leader, appeals for peace

HARARE, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa has congratulated the new leader of the country's largest opposition party, Nelson Chamisa, on attaining the new position and appealed for peace during the run-up to forthcoming national elections.

"I would like to congratulate Nelson Chamisa as he takes over the leadership of the MDC. We look forward to a competitive, peaceful and positive election campaign, providing the people of Zimbabwe with a clear and democratic choice," Mnangagwa posted on his Facebook page Sunday.

He said he hoped all his opponents would keep the campaign calm and clean and allow the people of Zimbabwe to decide which direction Zimbabwe should take over the next five years.

Chamisa was elected the party's new president last week following the death of founding president Morgan Tsvangirai on Feb. 14.

He immediately became the presidential candidate for the MDC Alliance, a grouping of parties.

His election is being contested, however, by Thokozani Khupe who alleges that his election was unconstitutional and that by virtue of her being the only elected party vice president, she should lead the party until its next congress in 2019.

Tsvangirai in 2016 appointed Chamisa and Elias Mudzuri as co-vice presidents in addition to the elected Khupe, in a move which generated fissures in a party which has been trying to take power from Mnangagwa's ruling Zanu-PF since 2000.

Mnangagwa took over from former President Robert Mugabe in November 2017. Enditem