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Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Long-term Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, also known as “Mad Bob” to many of his opponents, was ousted in a bloodless military coup early Wednesday. The military reports his family is safe and sound, with 93-year old Mugabe under house arrest.
The ZANU PF took to Twitter denying a coup had taken place. “Zimbabwe has not had a coup. There has been a decision to intervene because our constitution had been undermined, in the interim Comrade E Mnagngawa will be president of ZANU PF as per the constitution of our revolutionary organization,” the tweet said.
Mugabe has been maneuvering to have his 52-yr old wife Grace take over the party nomination ahead of elections scheduled for next year. A battle between the president and former vice-president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who Mugabe fired last week, has been ongoing as Mnangagwa looked to succeed Mugabe as president. Reports had Mnangagwa returning to Zimbabwe Tuesday evening after reportedly fleeing to South Africa following his firing last week.
Prior to the takeover, on Monday Army Chief General Constantino Chiwenga made an unusual statement saying that the army would intervene to halt party infighting and remove veterans from the political forefront.
Mugabe remains defiant despite the takeover, insisting he finish out his term. This is unlikely however as he no longer has the support of the military or police, and most everyday Zimbabweans despise their leader. The only support Grandpa Mugabe has is from old-time African leaders who would look to avoid the same fate.
There have been calls for the aging Mugabe who has been in power for 37 years to step down over the past couple of decades as the country plunged in to the abyss of a deep financial crisis, human rights abuses continued, and the poor became poorer.
A report by NewsdzeZimbabwe Thursday stated, “On Harare’s streets, many expressed amazement and delight Wednesday that President Robert Mugabe’s long reign may be coming to a close…” Meanwhile, expats around the world who were forced to flee the country for their own security under the Mugabe regime, celebrated the news of the likely end to the Mugabe reign, Grace or Bob.
An emergency meeting of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) was called for Thursday afternoon in Gaborone, Botswana, to discuss the political situation in Zimbabwe.
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