Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also leader of the ruling ZANU PF party, on Saturday launched his party’s election campaign in preparation for the Aug. 23 elections. Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017, is seeking a second five-year term as president. Addressing thousands of supporters who had congregated for the ruling party’s first rally in Chipinge, about 440 km from the capital Harare, following the proclamation of the election date, Mnangagwa urged his supporters to vote for the ruling party that brought independence to the southern African nation. He noted that his administration had managed to fulfill many of its promises. “We resolved the fuel crisis, we resolved electricity shortages,” Mnangagwa told his supporters. He noted that under his leadership, Zimbabwe has managed to address the food security issue. “In a short period of time we have grown our agriculture from a 3.8 billion U.S. dollar industry to 8 billion,” he said.