Motion to impeach Mugabe will be introduced in Zim parliament today
ZIMBABWE’S ruling Zanu-PF party will today launch the parliamentary process for impeaching President Robert Mugabe, a government lawmaker told AFP.
The decision yesterday came after Mugabe missed a deadline to resign given to him by his party over the weekend.
Once a simple majority of parliamentarians vote for impeachment, an investigative committee is formed by lawmakers, who report back to both houses of parliament. Each house must then vote by a two-thirds majority for him to be stripped of office.
“We are expecting the motion to be over [Tuesday],” said Zanu-PF lawmaker Paul Mangwana.
He added that Zanu-PF had approached the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party to seek their cooperation to pass the necessary parliamentary votes.
In a televised address late Sunday, the 93-year-old veteran leader defied expectations he would quit, pitching the country into a second week of political crisis.
The speech provoked anger and disbelief among many Zimbabweans, fuelling concerns that Mugabe could face a violent backlash.
Zimbabwe’s crisis erupted on November 13 after a factional squabble over the presidential succession erupted into the open prompting the country’s military to seize power.
In East London, Rodney Mashaya, a Zimbabwean national who has lived in South Africa since 1994, said: “This is something we have been praying for a very long time. We are happy with Mugabe stepping down as president. As long as there is no bloodshed we welcome the chance to rebuild our country,” he said.
Mashaya has a civil engineering company, Zezethu Consulting Engineers, and owns a soccer team FC Buffalo which plays in the ABC Motsepe league.
He called on Zimbabweans to support what has been started as a way of removing Mugabe.
“We hope for change and strengthening of the Zimbabwe economy. A change will also give us a chance to go back and reinvest in our country. It doesn't matter who leads Zimbabwe as long as it is not Mugabe. I am sure whoever leads will stabilise the country,” he said. — additional reporting by Zolile Menzelwa