News / National
Mugabe may step down this month
13 Nov 2014 at 09:46hrs | Views
In a development that will certainly shock the world, President Robert Mugabe, might step down from office before the end of this month, The Telescope News reported.
An Asian diplomat who provided confidential information to our Harare reporter, said the Zanu-PF strongman, was on the verge of handing power to justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to finish his presidential term due to alleged pressure from China and his hardline military generals.
This means that, Zanu-PF may end up not going for an elective congress next month, a massive blow to bigwigs in the party, who have been working hard behind the curtains, to secure top posts in the presidium.
"China has made massive economic investments in Zimbabwe, and will not risk having Zanu-PF led by someone likely to undo these agreements, especially in mining," said the diplomat.
"Zimbabwe is also of strategic political importance to them, so one can say they are having a hand in what is taking place at the moment, including the mounting of pressure for Mugabe to avoid taking the party to congress, so their desired successor (Mnangagwa) can be assisted by the military to come into power, for continuity purposes of their foreign policy on Zimbabwe. Your president might not last this whole month in office."
The Telescope News reported in September that, Mugabe allegedly discussed his succession hand over, with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing that month. A presidential party delegate who traveled with Mugabe, revealed that the ailing leader held a closed door evening meeting with Jinping, which was not disclosed to both Zimbabwean and Chinese media a day after he arrived in China.
China seems to have now made it a public secret, that it is in favour of Mnangagwa ahead of Vice President, Joice Mujuru, to replace Mugabe, following reports that she has set aside, a whopping US$1 billion loan facility, for the economic resuscitation of Zimbabwe, should a Mnangagwa presidency materialise, first disclosed by this publication on 25 June 2014.
The army yesterday denied that, Mugabe was under siege from his generals to call it a day before Zanu-PF goes for congress.
"There is nothing of that nature," said a public relations officer.
"The Telescope News is full of drunken writers."
An Asian diplomat who provided confidential information to our Harare reporter, said the Zanu-PF strongman, was on the verge of handing power to justice minister, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to finish his presidential term due to alleged pressure from China and his hardline military generals.
This means that, Zanu-PF may end up not going for an elective congress next month, a massive blow to bigwigs in the party, who have been working hard behind the curtains, to secure top posts in the presidium.
"China has made massive economic investments in Zimbabwe, and will not risk having Zanu-PF led by someone likely to undo these agreements, especially in mining," said the diplomat.
"Zimbabwe is also of strategic political importance to them, so one can say they are having a hand in what is taking place at the moment, including the mounting of pressure for Mugabe to avoid taking the party to congress, so their desired successor (Mnangagwa) can be assisted by the military to come into power, for continuity purposes of their foreign policy on Zimbabwe. Your president might not last this whole month in office."
China seems to have now made it a public secret, that it is in favour of Mnangagwa ahead of Vice President, Joice Mujuru, to replace Mugabe, following reports that she has set aside, a whopping US$1 billion loan facility, for the economic resuscitation of Zimbabwe, should a Mnangagwa presidency materialise, first disclosed by this publication on 25 June 2014.
The army yesterday denied that, Mugabe was under siege from his generals to call it a day before Zanu-PF goes for congress.
"There is nothing of that nature," said a public relations officer.
"The Telescope News is full of drunken writers."
Source - The Telescope News
