President Emmerson Mnangagwa ha accused his predecessor Robert Mugabe of “stalling investment” that could have “jump-started” the country’s economy “over the past decades”.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaking during an official opening ceremony of a $4.3m Karo Resources platinum mining project in Mhondoro-Ngezi this week, the Mnangagwa said that the project was halted by his predecessor under unclear circumstance over a decade ago.

He said he was glad the long-time ruler was no longer president, and that there were “winds of change” in the country.

Mnangagwa described himself as “Mr. Ground Breaking” in line with his continued mantra that “Zimbabwe was open for business”.

This came a day after the president officially commissioned an upgrade of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe airport.

The 153m upgrade and rehabilitation project was expected to create jobs for Zimbabweans and would take at least three years to complete.

The project was funded through a concessionary loan from a Chinese bank. China ambassador to Zimbabwe Huang Ping said significant changes were taking place under Mnangagwa rule.