Tag: Zimbabwe

 

‘ Zimbabwe has more plot twists than Game of Thrones’

One twitter user @curatezim  tweeted that “Zimbabwe has more plot twists than Game of Thrones”.

 This is his response to the news that President Robert Mugabe has refused to resign after his party, Zimbabwe African National Union Progressive Front (ZANU-PF), demanded him to resign.

The party today sack Mugabe as its leader and named the ousted Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa in his stead. The youth-wing of the party which was the support-base of Mugabe has also asked him to resign.

But in his televised address to the nation this evening, Mugabe has insisted that he is still the country’s president despite the pressure for him to step down.

Mugabe said he would preside over the ruling party’s congress coming up in a few weeks.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of protesters celebrated “the fall of Mugabe” and flooded Zimbabwe’s streets, chanting victory songs over “the crumbling of Mugabe’s ruthless regime” which had controlled the country for nearly 40 years.

Mugabe is gradually finding his voice gain. He is insisting that he is the only legitimate leader of Zimbabwe.

On Friday, the 93-year old ruler, who has stayed 37 years in power defiantly disagreed with the ‘coupists’ calls that he should step down. Instead, he appeared in a public function where he was the one that officially handed a university degree to the wife of the chief of the army, Mrs. Constantino Chiwenga.

“Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace are ready to die for what is correct and have no intention of stepping down in order to legitimise this week’s military coup”, his nephew, Patrick Zhuwao, told Reuters on Saturday.

Speaking to Reuters from a secret location in South Africa, Zhuwao said Mugabe had hardly slept since the military seized power on Wednesday but his health was otherwise “good”.

Yesterday, Zimbabweans resorted to prayers. Although everywhere seems calm and people go about their normal businesses in Harare, there is silent anxiety about the way forward.

Zimbabwean human rights lawyer, Dough Coltart had asked citizens to prepare and pray to God to restore peace in the land.

 

 

Zimbabwe’s VP Mnangagwa, Returns

 

The theatre that opened in Zimbabwe is still unfolding. Just as predicted by this newspaper, Zimbabwe’s former vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa, has returned to the country, an aide told AF

The sack of Mnangagwa by President Robert Mugabe last week triggered the military action in Zimbabwe.

However, Mugabe is still insisting that he is the only legitimate ruler of the country even as he is still under house arrest.

Mugabe’s motorcade on Thursday took him from his private residence to the State House for the talks, which were also attended by envoys from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc.

“He is refusing to step down. I think he is trying to buy time,” said a source close to the army leadership who declined to be named.

Government TV showed Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state, dressed in a navy blue blazer and grey trousers standing alongside army chief General Constantino Chiwenga.

The AU, African Union, has said the military action in Zimbabwe looks like a coup.

Its head, Alpha Conde, said the AU demands an immediate return to constitutional order.

However, speculations are rife that this drama might lead to eventual military take-over.

“We wish to make this abundantly clear this is not a military takeover of government,” army spokesman Maj. Gen. SB Moyo said in the early morning statement. “What the Zimbabwe defense forces is doing is to pacify a degenerating political, social and economic situation in our country which if not addressed may result in violent conflict.”

“We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice,” he said.

Responding to the developments, Mr Conde, who is also Guinea’s president, said Zimbabwean soldiers “had obviously attempted to take power”.

The AU had “serious concern” at the situation and “reiterates its full support to the country’s legal institutions”, the statement said.

But political indices in Zimbabwe have not suggested that the army will take over. “The military might only want to threaten the Mugabe hegemony, bring Mnangagwa back to Zimbawe and restore peace and calmness in the troubles country.

The ruling party, ZANU-PF is fully in support of the military action. It tweeted this morning “@zanu_pf handle. “Neither Zimbabwe nor ZANU are owned by Mugabe and his wife. Today begins a fresh new era and comrade Mnangagwa will help us achieve a better Zimbabwe.”

 

 

‘Military Not Planning Takeover in Zimbabwe’

Following the tension created in Zimbabwe by the ouster of the Vice President and Mugabe long-time loyalist, Emmerson Mnagagwa and suspected takeover attempt by Mugabe’s wife, Grace, the military authority said it has put Mugabe and grace under custody to restore calm in the country.

However, speculations are rife that this drama might lead to eventual military take-over.

“We wish to make this abundantly clear this is not a military takeover of government,” army spokesman Maj. Gen. SB Moyo said in the early morning statement. “What the Zimbabwe defense forces is doing is to pacify a degenerating political, social and economic situation in our country which if not addressed may result in violent conflict.”

“We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice,” he said.

But political indices in Zimbabwe have not suggested that the army will take over. “The military might only want to threaten the Mugabe hegemony, bring Mnagagwa back to Zimbawe and restore peace and calmness in the troubles country.

The ruling party, ZANU-PF is fully in support of the military action. It tweeted this morning “@zanu_pf handle. “Neither Zimbabwe nor ZANU are owned by Mugabe and his wife. Today begins a fresh new era and comrade Mnangagwa will help us achieve a better Zimbabwe.”

The claim adds to the military’s statement early Wednesday, delivered after soldiers took over state television, that the army is not carrying out a military takeover of the government and that Mugabe and his family are safe. However, the situation remained tense in the capital as Zimbabweans both inside and outside the country watched and wondered about the fate of the 93-year-old president, who has ruled the Southern African nation since 1980. In that time, the economy has all but collapsed and Zimbabwe has become a pariah state in the West over allegations of human rights abuses.

Witnesses also said military vehicles and soldiers were on the streets early Wednesday, hours after soldiers took over state broadcaster ZBC. Local residents said instead of the usual 11 p.m. newscast, music videos were played instead.

A spokesman at the U.S. embassy in Harare told VOA the streets appeared calm and had no confirmed sightings of military vehicles. The embassy warned Americans via its web site to “shelter in their residences” and work from home on Wednesday. They said the embassy will be minimally staffed and closed to the public.

The Canadian Embassy, via Twitter, reported “increased military activity in Harare” early Wednesday, but did not give details. The embassy, they said, will be closed Wednesday.