By Agencies

President Emmerson Mnangagwa warned his supporters that losing the upcoming elections to the pro-United States opposition would drift the mineral-rich country into Washington’s grip, cautioning that this would lead to the nation being “lost”.

“If Harare fails to vote [ruling party] Zanu-PF, you will be lost,” he told 150,000 supporters gathered at his party’s rally near the city center.

The popular 80-year-old leader said “negative people outside the country” are counting on the party to “be violent.”

But “peace remains our beacon,” he stressed.

Read more: Africa becoming increasingly anti-West: Zimbabwe official

Zimbabwe, which has been shunned by the West for decades over alleged governing violations, holds Africa’s largest reserve of lithium – a core element of the electric vehicles’ (EV) industrial boom, which has been the main reason behind a number of US-led coups across the world in the recent years, most notably in Bolivia in 2019.

The country’s leader assured that “no one will stop us from ruling this country,” referring to foreign meddling and pressure, which is enacted by local political parties.

Mnangagwa, who is vocal in criticizing the West for inciting the war in Ukraine and has since grown relations with Russia, will for a second time face Nelson Chamisa in the upcoming presidential and parliament elections on August 23.

Read more: Zimbabwe voices its continuous support for Russia

Chamisa leads the country’s largest opposition party –  the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) – and is known for his close affiliation with the US. The opposition leader is accused by the Zanu-PF and its allies of seeking to receive political aid from Washington to influence voters.

“Every country” was “developed by its own people, it’s shameful that Chamisa wants Zimbabwe to be developed by Biden,” Mnangagwa said.