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Zimbabwe Ruling Party ZANU-PF Set To Fire Mugabe

Leaders of Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party are expected to meet on Sunday to approve the dismissal of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe, Reuters reported. 

Mugabe has been the only ruler Zimbabwe has known since its independence 37 years ago. 

This comes after thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets of Harare on Saturday in a peaceful rally where they called for Mugabe to step down. 

A special meeting is scheduled to be convened at 10:30am Zimbabwe time (1pm Kabul time) Sunday where the leaders will discuss removing the president four days after the military seized power, Reuters reported. 

Zimbabwe’s state television said Mugabe would meet military commanders on Sunday. 

Reuters reported that the leading ZANU-PF party was also expected to reinstate Emmerson Mnangagwa as party vice-president, who was fired earlier this month by Mugabe. 

Mugabe’s wife, Grace, will be fired as head of the ZANU-PF Women’s League, the sources told Reuters, completing the demise of a 52-year-old former government typist who just a week ago stood in pole position to succeed her husband after Mnangagwa’s dismissal.

Saturday’s march meanwhile saw thousands of Zimbabweans flooding the streets of Harare, singing, dancing and hugging soldiers in an outpouring of elation at Mugabe’s downfall. 

Reuters also reported the couple’s stunning downfall is likely to send shockwaves across Africa, where a number of entrenched strongmen, from Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni to Democratic Republic of Congo’s Joseph Kabila, are facing mounting pressure to step aside.

However, under house arrest in his lavish ‘Blue Roof’ compound, Mugabe has refused to stand down even as he has watched his support from party, security services and people evaporate in less than three days, Reuters reported.

His nephew, Patrick Zhuwao, told Reuters the elderly leader and his wife were “ready to die for what is correct” rather than step down in order to legitimize what he described as a coup.

But on Harare’s streets, few seemed to care about the legal niceties as they heralded a “second liberation” for the former British colony and spoke of their dreams for political and economic change after two decades of deepening repression and hardship.

“These are tears of joy,” said Frank Mutsindikwa, 34, holding aloft the Zimbabwean flag. “I’ve been waiting all my life for this day. Free at last. We are free at last.”

Reuters reported that the crowds in Harare have so far given a quasi-democratic veneer to the army’s intervention, backing its assertion that it is merely effecting a constitutional transfer of power, which would help it avoid the diplomatic backlash and opprobrium that normally follow a coup.

The United States, a long-time Mugabe critic, said it was looking forward to a “new era” in Zimbabwe, while President Ian Khama of neighboring Botswana said Mugabe had no diplomatic support in the region and should resign at once.

According to Associated Press, Zimbabwe’s political situation is set to be discussed Tuesday when four countries with the southern African regional bloc meet in Angola.

The Southern African Development Community summit will include the heads of state of South Africa, which has sent Cabinet members to negotiate with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on a departure.

Also attending are the heads of state of Angola, Tanzania and Zambia.

Mugabe is under military house arrest after he fired his longtime deputy and appeared to position his wife to succeed him. He is said to be resisting efforts to step aside.

Zimbabwe Ruling Party ZANU-PF Set To Fire Mugabe

A meeting is scheduled to be held on Sunday where party leaders will discuss the sacking of Mugabe, who until now has refused to step down. 

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Leaders of Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party are expected to meet on Sunday to approve the dismissal of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe, Reuters reported. 

Mugabe has been the only ruler Zimbabwe has known since its independence 37 years ago. 

This comes after thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets of Harare on Saturday in a peaceful rally where they called for Mugabe to step down. 

A special meeting is scheduled to be convened at 10:30am Zimbabwe time (1pm Kabul time) Sunday where the leaders will discuss removing the president four days after the military seized power, Reuters reported. 

Zimbabwe’s state television said Mugabe would meet military commanders on Sunday. 

Reuters reported that the leading ZANU-PF party was also expected to reinstate Emmerson Mnangagwa as party vice-president, who was fired earlier this month by Mugabe. 

Mugabe’s wife, Grace, will be fired as head of the ZANU-PF Women’s League, the sources told Reuters, completing the demise of a 52-year-old former government typist who just a week ago stood in pole position to succeed her husband after Mnangagwa’s dismissal.

Saturday’s march meanwhile saw thousands of Zimbabweans flooding the streets of Harare, singing, dancing and hugging soldiers in an outpouring of elation at Mugabe’s downfall. 

Reuters also reported the couple’s stunning downfall is likely to send shockwaves across Africa, where a number of entrenched strongmen, from Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni to Democratic Republic of Congo’s Joseph Kabila, are facing mounting pressure to step aside.

However, under house arrest in his lavish ‘Blue Roof’ compound, Mugabe has refused to stand down even as he has watched his support from party, security services and people evaporate in less than three days, Reuters reported.

His nephew, Patrick Zhuwao, told Reuters the elderly leader and his wife were “ready to die for what is correct” rather than step down in order to legitimize what he described as a coup.

But on Harare’s streets, few seemed to care about the legal niceties as they heralded a “second liberation” for the former British colony and spoke of their dreams for political and economic change after two decades of deepening repression and hardship.

“These are tears of joy,” said Frank Mutsindikwa, 34, holding aloft the Zimbabwean flag. “I’ve been waiting all my life for this day. Free at last. We are free at last.”

Reuters reported that the crowds in Harare have so far given a quasi-democratic veneer to the army’s intervention, backing its assertion that it is merely effecting a constitutional transfer of power, which would help it avoid the diplomatic backlash and opprobrium that normally follow a coup.

The United States, a long-time Mugabe critic, said it was looking forward to a “new era” in Zimbabwe, while President Ian Khama of neighboring Botswana said Mugabe had no diplomatic support in the region and should resign at once.

According to Associated Press, Zimbabwe’s political situation is set to be discussed Tuesday when four countries with the southern African regional bloc meet in Angola.

The Southern African Development Community summit will include the heads of state of South Africa, which has sent Cabinet members to negotiate with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on a departure.

Also attending are the heads of state of Angola, Tanzania and Zambia.

Mugabe is under military house arrest after he fired his longtime deputy and appeared to position his wife to succeed him. He is said to be resisting efforts to step aside.

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