‘Grace has fled to Namibia’
JOHANNESBURG: Zimbabwe’s First Lady Grace Mugabe has reportedly fled to Namibia after the army took control of Harare and the Namibian government yesterday said it was concerned about unfolding events in its neighbouring country.
Namibian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia noted that the situation in Zimbabwe was relatively calm, and it was expected that democratic institutions in Zimbabwe would continue to carry out their constitutional functions.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the situation created uncertainty, which was not conducive to peace, stability and consolidation of democracy in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). He urged all parties concerned to fully adhere to the provisions of the SADC Treaty and the African Union Constitutive Act.
Namibian authorities have not confirmed that Grace Mugabe is there.
Zimbabwe’s military seized control of state television ZBC and said it was acting against “criminals” surrounding 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
But a military spokesperson denied it was a coup despite rumours that Mugabe and his family were under house arrest.
The events unfolded after the head of the defence forces, General Constantino Chiwenga, warned the army would take “drastic action” if factions in the ruling Zanu-PF did not stop purges against party members with military backgrounds.
This followed last week’s sacking of war veteran Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa amid a struggle for party leadership with Mugabe’s wife Grace, who is supported by the youthful “G40” party faction.
Mnangagwa fled to South Africa but was rumoured to have returned to Zimbabwe yesterday to take control of the government.
Earlier yesterday, President Jacob Zuma also expressed concern over the situation in Zimbabwe.
Zuma was dispatching special envoys to meet Mugabe and the Zimbabwean Defence Force.
In a statement shortly after noon, the SA Presidency said Zuma, in his capacity as the Chair of the SADC, was sending special envoys, Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and the Minister of State Security, advocate Bongani Bongo to Zimbabwe, as well as Angola.
Zuma reiterated his call for calm and restraint and for the ZDF to ensure peace and stability were not undermined in Zimbabwe.The SADC was monitoring the situation closely.