Zim reeling after coup threat
Army tanks have reportedly been seen heading towards Zimbabwe’s capital city, Harare, heightening fears of a possible army takeover.
Just a day after the country’s military chief warned the factions in the ruling Zanu-PF to stop purging party members with a military background after last week’s sacking of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, tanks and other military vehicles were seen late yesterday heading towards Harare.
There has been a media black- out since the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Constantino Chiwenga, a political ally of Mnangagwa, told a news conference on Monday afternoon that Zimbabwe was suffering “distress, trepidation and despondence”.
The only response to the general’s statement was made by Zanu-PF youth leader Kudzai Chipanga, who said he disagreed with most of what the general had said. President Robert Mugabe, 93, has not yet made any official comment on the matter.
It could not be established why the military was moving its tanks towards the capital, but the situation remained tense.
Zimabawean social media user MuRozvi Mukuru? tweeted: “… I am shivering right now at the mere thought of military rule in my beloved Zimbabwe. Our African history is littered with misrule at the hands of the army.”
Monday’s briefing was attended by the military generals. – ANA
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