News / National
Military 'should step back and allow people to oust Mugabe'
20 Nov 2017 at 09:44hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's influential war veterans association says the military should step back and let the people, and politics, remove longtime President Robert Mugabe from power.
Chris Mutsvangwa says more protests are planned as Mugabe faces a midday deadline set by the ruling party to resign or face impeachment proceedings.
Zimbabweans were astonished that Mugabe, flanked by the military, in a national address Sunday night did not announce his resignation.
"Your time is up," Mutsvangwa says, and he suggests that the military, even though it put Mugabe under house arrest days ago, is still beholden to him and compelled to protect him because he is officially their "commander in chief."
He also says the war veterans' association is going to court to argue that Mugabe is "derelict of his executive duty".
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08:45
Zimbabweans are worried about their country's fate after the increasingly isolated President Robert Mugabe did not resign in a televised speech as many had expected.
"Arrogant Mugabe disregards Zanu-PF," a newspaper headline says, a reference to the ruling party that has demanded he resign by noon Monday or face impeachment.
Opposition activists plan more protests to pressure Mugabe.
Some ruling party members say an impeachment process likely wouldn't lead to Mugabe's immediate resignation and could take days to complete. Mugabe has been stripped of his party leadership but said in Sunday night's speech he would preside over a party congress next month.
Some people in the capital, Harare, are now more cautious about talking to reporters. That contrasts with the jubilation and open condemnation of Mugabe over the weekend.
Chris Mutsvangwa says more protests are planned as Mugabe faces a midday deadline set by the ruling party to resign or face impeachment proceedings.
Zimbabweans were astonished that Mugabe, flanked by the military, in a national address Sunday night did not announce his resignation.
"Your time is up," Mutsvangwa says, and he suggests that the military, even though it put Mugabe under house arrest days ago, is still beholden to him and compelled to protect him because he is officially their "commander in chief."
He also says the war veterans' association is going to court to argue that Mugabe is "derelict of his executive duty".
___
08:45
Zimbabweans are worried about their country's fate after the increasingly isolated President Robert Mugabe did not resign in a televised speech as many had expected.
"Arrogant Mugabe disregards Zanu-PF," a newspaper headline says, a reference to the ruling party that has demanded he resign by noon Monday or face impeachment.
Opposition activists plan more protests to pressure Mugabe.
Some ruling party members say an impeachment process likely wouldn't lead to Mugabe's immediate resignation and could take days to complete. Mugabe has been stripped of his party leadership but said in Sunday night's speech he would preside over a party congress next month.
Some people in the capital, Harare, are now more cautious about talking to reporters. That contrasts with the jubilation and open condemnation of Mugabe over the weekend.
Source - AP
