Contrary to some reports on social media particularly Whatsapp and Twitter, President Emmerson Mnangagwa was not made to sit in the gallery as an observer at the African Union (AU) summit in Kigali, Rwanda, because he was unworthy to sit with other heads of state. The false reports suggested that Mnangagwa had been denied Head of State status because he came to power on the back of a coup by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces. Mnangagwa was said to have been replaced by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Lieutenant General Sibusiso Moyo.
However, President Mnangagwa actually received a round of applause after Nigeria commended him for the way he had handled the transition after former president Robert Mugabe ultimately resigned following the military intervention. Former Nigerian president Olesugun Obasanjo said,
President of Zimbabwe, I want to give you double congratulations, congratulations for the way you carried out the transition in your country,” he said. “I must say more than that, but you have told the world more than that, that the country is moving on. Please, keep the country moving on; that is very important for us. And I also want to congratulate you for your being here.
Some of the false reports on social media said,
Reports say Mnangagwa is sitting in the gallery, not with other head of states at Au summit in Rwanda today. The Au says Mnangagwa cannot sit with elected heads of state since he is a product of a coup. However, they agreed that he attends the summit as an observer.