Mugabe defiant as he faces impeachment

Zimbabwe: World’soldestheadofstatetobestrippedofpower

Zimbabwe’s ruling party has ordered impeachment proceedings to begin against president Robert Mugabe and expressed confidence he could be voted out within two days.

The world’s oldest head of state, meanwhile, ignored the party’s midday deadline to resign and instead summoned ministers to a cabinet meeting this morning.

The ruling Zanu-PF party’s deputy secretary for legal affairs Paul Mangwana said politicians would move a motion for impeachment today and set up a parliamentary committee, and tomorrow the committee would report back and “we vote him out”. The main charge against the 93-year-old Mr Mugabe is “allowing his wife to usurp government powers” and that “he is too old and cannot even walk without help”, Mr Mangwana told reporters. He said the ruling party needs the backing of the MDC opposition group to have enough votes in parliament but “we have talked to them and they are supporting us”.

Zimbabweans were stunned by Mr Mugabe’s defiance during a national address on Sunday in which the president had been expected to step down.

But the military appears to favour a voluntary resignation for Mr Mugabe, one of Africa’s last remaining liberation leaders, to maintain a veneer of legality in the political transition and avoid accusations of a coup.

Mr Mugabe, in turn, is likely using whatever leverage he has left to try to preserve his legacy or even protect himself and his family from possible prosecution.

Meanwhile, opposition activists and the influential liberation war veterans association announced more demonstrations to pressure Mr Mugabe to go. He was stripped of his party leadership on Sunday by the ruling party’s central committee.

UNCOMPROMISING: Robert Mugabe had been expected to resign during a TV address to the nation but instead insisted he was still in charge

Zimbabweans anticipate the end of Mugabe’s regime