Mugabe’s rule of Zimbabwe may be over
World’s oldest head of state under house arrest; military in control of capital
HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s military was in control of the capital and the state broadcaster on Wednesday and was holding President Robert Mugabe and his wife under house arrest in what appeared to be a coup against the 93-year-old Mugabe, the world’s oldest head of state.
The military was at pains, however, to emphasize it had not staged a military takeover, but was instead starting a process to restore Zimbabwe’s democracy.
Still, the military appeared to have brought an end to Mugabe’s long, 37year reign in what the army’s supporters praised as a “bloodless correction.” South Africa and other neighbouring countries were sending in leaders to negotiate with Mugabe and the generals to encourage the transition.
Citizens in Zimbabwe’s tidy capital, Harare, contributed to the feeling of a smooth transition by carrying on with their daily lives, walking past the army’s armoured personnel carriers to go to work and to shops. Many who have never known any leader but Mugabe waited in long lines at banks to draw limited amounts of cash, a result of this once-prosperous country’s plummeting economy.
Felix Tsanganyiso, who sells mobile airtime vouchers in Harare, said he was following the developments on WhatsApp.
“But I am still in the dark about what is happening,” he said. “So far so good. We are going about our business without harassment. My plea is that whoever takes over should sort out the economy. We are tired of living like this.”
The series of whiplash events followed Mugabe’s firing last week of his deputy, which appeared to position the first lady, Grace Mugabe, to replace Emmerson Mnangagwa as one of the country’s two vicepresidents at a party conference next month.
But the 52-year-old first lady is unpopular among many Zimbabweans for her lavish spending on mansions, cars and jewels.
Grace Mugabe has been known as the leader of the G40, a group of cabinet ministers and officials in their 40s and 50s who are too young to have fought in Zimbabwe’s war to end white-minority rule in Rhodesia. When Mnangagwa was fired, the generals and war veterans felt they were being sidelined and took action to stop that, analysts say.
Mnangagwa’s whereabouts were not clear Wednesday. He fled the country last week, citing threats to himself and his family.
Critics of the government urged Mugabe to go quietly. “The old man should be allowed to rest,” former Zimbabwe finance minister and activist Tendai Biti told South African broadcaster eNCA.
On Monday, the army commander made an unprecedented statement criticizing Mugabe for pushing aside veterans of the liberation war. The following day, the ruling party condemned the army leader for “treasonable conduct,” and that evening the army sent armoured personnel carriers into Harare and seized control of the state broadcaster and other strategic points.