Rejected Mugabe clings to power
ZIMBABWE: Robert Mugabe stunned the world yesterday 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 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 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 . . . 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 apologised for fluffing 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 last Wednesday, angered by his decision to dismiss Emmerson Mnangagwa, his longterm 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 yesterday (local time).
Zimbabweans who took to the streets on Sunday to demand his resignation gathered around televisions in anticipation, but anger spread rapidly when the address ended without any sign that Mugabe was standing 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, said that people would take to the streets of Harare again this week.
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 ZanuPF 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 blamed Grace Mugabe and her associates who ‘‘have taken advantage of his frail condition’’.
About 200 members of the ZanuPF 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.
As the central committee celebrated each expulsion, Mugabe met army generals to negotiate the terms of his exit a short distance away at State House.
Mugabe has led Zimbabwe since its independence from Britain in 1980. –