President Mugabe faces crucial week

19 Novembre 2017

Harare, Zimbabwe, November 19  (Infosplusgabon) -  Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe faces a crucial week that could see the end of his hold on power in the southern African country after nearly four decades.

The 93-year-old president who has been confined to his home since Wednesday when the military took over the country, except for a brief appearance at the graduation ceremony of the Zimbabwe Open University on Friday, will meet the command element of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) on Sunday.

The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) said the meeting was announced on Saturday by Father Fidelis Mukonori, the chairman of the negotiating team. This will be the second time that President Mugabe and the ZDF command are meeting. The first meeting took place last Thursday.

The ruling ZANU-PF is also set to meet to continue with the process to recall President Mugabe, who is said to be resisting demands to resign, as the military insists their action is not a coup and are at pains to make the wholse process constitutional.

A Zimbabwean academic, Chipo Dendere, last Friday tweeted what could be the roadmap for the party when its Central Cmmittee meets on the matter - party's provinces make demands for a recall of the president and votes to endorse the recall.

The first step has already been taken with at least eight out of 10 Provincial Coordinating Committees (PCC) of ruling ZANU-PF party calling on him to step down as president of the country and President and First Secretary of the party, the state broadcaster reported on Friday.

They said in separate resolutions on Friday that President Mugabe has lost control of the party and government business due to "incapacitation stemming from his advanced age".

The resolutions also said President Mugabe had allowed the formation of cabals and called for the convening of a special central committee meeting within 48 hours to discuss the current political situation.

The resolution also proposed that Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, nicknamed 'Crocodile', who was fired last week from his post and the party, be allowed to retain his post in the party.

Further, there were huge rallies across the country on Saturday hailing the military takeover and demands for President Mugabe to step down.

Tens of thousands of Zimbabweans poured into the streets of cities across the country in "Solidarity" rallies that could be seen as a big boost for the military as it negotiates the departure of President Mugabe.

The liberation hero, who led Zimbabwe to independence in 1980 and economic success in the initial stages, was clearly painted as a villain as the crowds chanted for him, his wife, Grace, and inner ruling elite to leave.

They carried placards some of which read "Zimbabwe Army The Voice of the People", "Mugabe Out", "Not Coup but Cool", "Thou art fallen", "Mugabe Mjust Go". They also carried portraits of the head of the Zimbabwe Defence Force (ZDF) General Constantino Chiwenga, who they described as "the real liberator of Zimbabweans".

"It is time for Mugabe to go," said one man while a woman said she finds it difficult to feed her baby.

State broadcaster said having ruled for the past 37 years, President Mugabe’s time could be over as people from all walks of life marched across the country calling for an end to his reign.

In Harare, the main Zimbabwe "Solidarity Rally" was at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield, but thousands marched toRobert Mugabe Square opposite Rainbow Towers.

Business also came to a standstill in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls as thousands expressed themselves in an "unprecedented way", Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) reported.

ZBC said speakers at the rallies were unanimous in calling for an end to President Mugabe’s rule, which they described as characterised by economic hardships, protection of thieves around him and failure to deliver on the expectations of the Zimbabwean populace and war veterans. They also accused him of trying to create a dynasty by appointing his wife as Vice President.

The Zimbabwean situation follows a bitter power struggle within the ruling ZANU-PF which culminated in the dismissal last week of vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa from his post and the party, putting President Mugabe's wife, Grace, in pole position to assume the post and therefore succeed the 93-year-old president. There has been no word of the whereabouts of the First Lady.

Infosplusgabon  reported on Saturday that the crisis in Zimbabwe would be discussed on Tuesday when leaders of the regional grouping, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) meet in Angola. South African President Jacob Zuma, who has sent two Cabinet members to Harare to negotiate with President Mugabe, has confirmed his attendance.

South Africa's opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has also called on the government to grant President Robert Mugabe political asylum.

The issue of the future of the beleaguered president should be high up in all the meetings.

FIN/INFOSPLUSGABON/AIL/ GABON 2017

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