Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa Promises Jobs In 'New Democracy'

Zimbabwe's incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa has promised to create jobs after returning from exile to take over from Robert Mugabe.

"We want to grow our economy, we want peace, we want jobs, jobs, jobs," he told a cheering crowd in Harare.

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Some estimates say 90 per cent of Zimbabweans is unemployed. Nearly three-quarters live on less than $5.50 (£4.15) a day.

Mr Mnangagwa, who fled to South Africa two weeks ago, is to be made the new president on Friday, state TV said.

His dismissal led the ruling party and the military to intervene and force an end to Mr Mugabe's 37-year long rule.

Mugabe has gone, but will Zimbabwe change?

He told supporters at the headquarters of the ruling Zanu-PF party that the country was witnessing the "beginning of a new and unfolding democracy".

He also said he had been the subject of several assassination plots and thanked the army for running the "process" of removing Mr Mugabe peacefully.

A spokesman for the ruling Zanu-PF party said Mr Mnangagwa, 71, would serve the remainder of Mr Mugabe's term until elections that are due to be held by September 2018.

Nicknamed the "crocodile" because of his political cunning, Mr Mnangagwa met South African President Jacob Zuma before leaving for Zimbabwe.

Mr Mnangagwa is mired in the excesses of the Mugabe era. He was the deposed president's loyal henchman for decades and only struck against him to prevent Grace Mugabe from succeeding to the presidency.

This was not a revolution to bring liberal democratic principles into government. It was about power.

That said, there are significant pressures on the new leader to embark on a programme of meaningful change. The corruption and tyranny of the past will not attract the international financial aid and investment that is needed to rescue the nation's shattered economy.

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Mr Mnangagwa will face a strong challenge if he tries to mire Zimbabwe in the despotism of the past.

Perhaps most important is the attitude of the people.

Mr Mnangagwa's firing by Mr Mugabe two weeks ago triggered an unprecedented political crisis in the country.