Situation in Zimbabwe: Have the military taken over government from President Mugabe? Here's the Head of the Armed Forces, Chiwenga reading out a statement— #OdinakaGod (@iamOdino)November 15, 2017
after the military took over the national television, ZBC.pic.twitter.com/CmZtsF6T19
Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe and his wife have been detained by the military in a 'bloodless transition' of power - and the country's deposed vice-president has returned from exile.
Mugabe's decades-long grip on power appeared to be over this morning after military vehicles blocked roads outside the parliament in Harare and senior soldiers delivered a late-night television address to the nation.
Zimbabwe's leader and his despised wife are detained by military in 'bloodless transition'https://t.co/ukocN5e0vzpic.twitter.com/SfeiB8y9Ap— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline)November 15, 2017
Former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa, 75, a veteran of Zimbabwe's 1970s liberation wars who was sacked by Mugabe earlier this month, has returned from exile.
It was not clear this morning where Mugabe, 93, and his wife Grace are being held, but the military said last night that their 'security is guaranteed'.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Zimbabwe had ordered employees and US citizens in the African nation to take cover and seek shelter. British nationals are also being advised to stay indoors amid reports of 'unusual military activity'.
#BREAKING #Zimbabwe’s President Mugabe has been detained, the ruling party @zanu_pfsays on twitter, adding that there has been no coup, but a “bloodless peaceful transition"pic.twitter.com/C8btpDZNXu— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial)November 15, 2017
Last night Zimbabwe's military stormed the country's national broadcaster's studios to declare it is 'targeting criminals' amid fears of a coup after reports of explosions and gunfire in the capital.
The military read a statement on live TV claiming this is not 'a military takeover of government' and said Mugabe was safe.
Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo, a leading member of the so-called 'G40' faction of the ruling ZANU-PF party led by Mugabe's wife Grace, had also been detained by the military, a government source said
Zimbabwe Major General Sibusiso Moyo (R) reads a statement on state TV: "As soon as we have accomplished our mission we expect that the situation will return to normalcy."— AFP news agency (@AFP)November 15, 2017
Military appears to be in control of the country, but denies staging a coup. https://t.co/n4KJNmRGrCpic.twitter.com/WIHkWBNE2r
Soldiers stormed the headquarters of state broadcaster ZBC in the early hours of Wednesday, two members of staff and a human rights worker told Reuters, as staff complained they were manhandled by the military members.
After taking control of the station, the military released a statement which denied a coup was underway, adding that Mugabe and his family were 'safe and sound and their security is guaranteed'.
They added that the army were targeting people who 'were committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country.
ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe detained by the military, several ministers, who have been branded crooks, arrested: Zanu-PF.pic.twitter.com/u4bu539qW6— NationBreakingNews (@NationBreaking) November 15, 2017
'As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy,' the statement continued.
Tensions have been rising in the land-locked African country after Zimbabwe's head of the military, General Constantino Chiwenga, challenged Mugabe over his decision to sack Mnangagwa - nicknamed The Crocodile. The move was widely seen as a power play to make way for his wife Grace to succeed him.
Source: DailyMail
No comments:
Post a Comment