MUGABE DEFIES GENERALS
PRESIDENT REFUSES TO STEP ASIDE, USES TELEVISED ADDRESS TO CALL ON ZIMBABWEANS TO ‘MOVE FORWARD’
Robert Mugabe stunned the world Sunday night by refusing to step aside as president of Zimbabwe, leaving him clinging to power despite being dismissed as leader of his own party.
Instead, he used a televised address to acknowledge deep criticism of his leadership but promised to preside over next month’s congress of the ruling ZANU-PF party.
The extraordinary spectacle of a 93-year-old ruler stumbling over his words while flanked by army generals suggests that a man whose reputation was forged as one of Africa’s liberation leaders is running out of time.
Senior party figures say they will go ahead with impeachment proceedings, prompted by anger at the growing power amassed by his wife, Grace Mugabe.
During his speech, Mugabe praised the country for the peaceful way it was dealing with the current crisis and said it was understandable that failures of the past had triggered anger.
“We cannot be divided by bitterness or vengefulness, which would not make us any better party members, or any better Zimbabweans,” he said.
He invoked the memory of the country’s liberation struggle in an effort to unite the warring factions.
“I am confident that from tonight our whole nation at all levels gets refocused as we put shoulder to the wheel amid the promising agricultural season of rain upon us. Let us all move forward reminding ourselves of our wartime mantra (you and I have work to do). I thank you and good night.”
With the camera still rolling, he apologized for stumbling over his lines and said he hoped it could be corrected.
The 93-year-old leader has been under house arrest since the army moved in on Tuesday, angered by his decision to dismiss Emmerson Mnangagwa, his long-term deputy, and position Grace Mugabe, the first lady, to succeed him.
He appeared on television hours after his own ZANU-PF party dismissed him as leader and said it would launch impeachment proceedings if he did not step down as president by noon Monday.
Zimbabweans who took to the streets on Saturday to demand his resignation gathered around televisions in anticipation, but anger spread rapidly when the address ended without any sign that Mugabe was stepping down.
The leader of Zimbabwe’s war veterans immediately said opponents would press on with impeachment.
Chris Mutsvangwa, who has been leading a campaign to oust Mugabe, told Reuters that people would take to the streets of Harare on Wednesday.
Douglas Mwonzora, secretary general of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, said the army generals had let down the country.
“What this means is that ZANU-PF spoke too soon. They expected him to resign,” he said.
Earlier, senior ZANU-PF figures gathered to deliver what they thought would be the fatal blow.
As they removed him as party head, ZANU-PF’s central committee reminded delegates they were meeting with a “heavy heart.”
Obert Mpofu instead
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT ZANU-PF SPOKE TOO SOON.
blamed Grace Mugabe and her associates who “have taken advantage of his frail condition.”
About 200 members of the ZANU-PF central committee met at party headquarters in Harare. Delegates cheered and sang as Mugabe was removed from his post and other figures loyal to the first lady, including a quarter of the cabinet, were expelled.
Patrick Chinamasa, the reformist finance minister sacked last month, said he would ensure Mrs. Mugabe was arrested if necessary.
As the central committee celebrated each expulsion, Mugabe met army generals to negotiate the terms of his exit a few kilometres away at State House. Images from the state-run Herald newspaper showed the two sides shaking hands.
Talks centred on security for Mugabe’s family, access to his assets and possible protection from prosecution for him and his wife.
Harare was subdued Sunday and the streets were mostly empty after the largest demonstration on Saturday.
Impeachment requires two-thirds of the members of the House of Assembly to impeach him and that process is expected to begin Monday. It is not clear whether Mugabe’s opponents will be able to bridge the political differences between ZANU-PF and the MDC to achieve the majority needed.
Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980, until which point it was ruled by the white minority and known as Rhodesia.