Army takes over control of Zimbabwe
-Robert Mugabe and Wife put under house arrest
Zimbabwe's army said Wednesday it has President Robert
Mugabe and his wife in custody and was securing government offices and
patrolling the capital's streets following a night of unrest that included a
military takeover of the state broadcaster.
The night's
action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military's supporters praised
it as a "bloodless correction." South Africa's president said he
spoke with Mugabe, who was "fine" but confined to his home.
For the
first time, this southern African nation is seeing the military oppose the
93-year-old Mugabe, the world's oldest head of state and one of the
longest-serving authoritarian rulers. Mugabe has been in power since Zimbabwe's
independence from white minority rule in 1980.
The
whiplash developments followed Mugabe's firing of his deputy, which had
appeared to position the first lady, Grace Mugabe, to replace Emmerson
Mnangagwa as one of the country's two vice presidents at a party conference
next month. But the first lady has proved unpopular among some Zimbabweans, and
Mnangagwa had significant support from the military.
It was
not clear Wednesday where Mnangagwa was, though he fled the country last week
citing threats to him and his family.
Armed
soldiers in armored personnel carriers stationed themselves at key points in
Harare, while Zimbabweans formed long lines at banks in order to draw the
limited cash available, a routine chore in the country's ongoing financial
crisis. People looked at their phones to read about the army takeover and others
went to work or to shops.
In an
address to the nation after taking control of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting
Corporation, Major General Sibusiso Moyo said early Wednesday the military is
targeting "criminals" around Mugabe, and sought to reassure the
country that order will be restored.
Mugabe
and his wife appeared to be in the custody of the military. "Their
security is guaranteed," Moyo said.
"We
wish to make it abundantly clear that this is not a military takeover," he
said. "We are only
targeting criminals around (Mugabe) who are committing crimes that are causing
social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to
justice."
Moyo
added "as soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the
situation will return to normalcy." The army spokesman called on churches
to pray for the nation. He urged other security forces to "cooperate for
the good of our country," warning that "any provocation will be met
with an appropriate response."
All
troops were ordered to return to barracks immediately, with all leave canceled,
said Moyo. The broadcast was sent out from the ZBC headquarters in Pocket's
Hill near Harare's Borrowdale suburb.
South
African President Jacob Zuma said he was sending his ministers of defense and
state security to Zimbabwe to meet with Mugabe and the military there. He said
he hopes Zimbabwe's army will respect the constitution and that the situation
"is going to be controlled."
The head
of Zimbabwe's influential war veterans association, once a staunch supporter of
Mugabe, said they stand with the army and that Mugabe should be recalled as
president and ruling party leader.
Victor
Matemadanda told reporters that the ruling party should establish a commission
of inquiry into Mugabe and why he decided to let his wife insult veterans and
the armed forces.
The
military actions appear to put Zimbabwe's army in control. Army commander
Constantino Chiwenga had threatened on Monday to "step in" to calm
political tensions. Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party responded by accusing the
general of "treasonable conduct."
The army
has been praised by the nation's war veterans for carrying out "a
bloodless correction of gross abuse of power." The military will return
Zimbabwe to "genuine democracy" and make the country a "modern
model nation," said Chris Mutsvangwa, chairman of the war veterans'
association, told The Associated Press in Johannesburg.
The U.S.
Embassy closed to the public Wednesday and encouraged citizens to shelter in
place, citing "the ongoing political uncertainty through the night."
The British Embassy issued a similar warning, citing "reports of unusual
military activity."
Has anyone else been detained?
A
government source told Reuters news agency that Finance Minister Ignatius
Chombo was being held.
He is a
leading member of a Zanu-PF faction led by Grace Mugabe, 52.
What was the political situation before the army acted?
The
rivalry between Mrs Mugabe and Mr Mnangagwa has split Zanu-PF.
Gen
Chiwenga is a close ally of Mr Mnangagwa and both are veterans of the 1970s war
which ended white minority rule.
The
leader of the war veterans, Chris Mutsvangwa, welcomed the military move,
telling Reuters news agency: "This is a correction of a state that was
careening off the cliff.
"It's
the end of a very painful and sad chapter in the history of a young nation, in
which a dictator, as he became old, surrendered his court to a gang of thieves
around his wife."
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