Zimbabwe: 2007 till Mugabe resigns

[AdamG]

A coup is reportedly under way in Zimbabwe, with reports on social media claiming that the head of Zimbabwe military Constantino Chiwenga has given President Robert Mugabe 24 hours to vacate office after sacking his vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

https://www.news24.com/Africa/Zimbab...babwe-20171114

[davidbfpo]

So far we have reports on a few APC moving along a traditional route and one broke down. If this was a coup it is hardly significant, as a signal it might resonate.

The ZNA are very unlikely IMHO to be seen as "friends of the people", given their role in suppressing protests and their leader's enrichment. Is this just another episode in the competition for power? As this BBC News item suggests:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41984813

[AdamG]

A witness who spoke to Reuters saw two tanks* parked up on the main road from Harare to Chinhoyi, about 20 km (14 miles) from the city. Social Media has seen ambiguous photos of military personnel making their way to the Capital.
The strong show of force comes just a day after the armed forces said they would step in ‘if Mugabe was to dismiss any further army officials’. The fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa shares a very cosy relationship with the army, and it seems like they are throwing their support behind him following his dismissal.

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/watc...-coup-attempt/

* Actually, Chinese-made APCs.

Looks like a Type 89/90 ARV (six road wheels, boom crane & box body rear hull) towing the Type YW309 APC. Even coin toss between a vehicle recovery mission and an actual road movement, given where we're talking about.

[Azor]

https://apnews.com/91bb7f9b5f2f4d00b...&utm_medium=AP

TRUNCATED

5:50 a.m.

• Zimbabwe’s army urges other security services to “cooperate for the good of our country,” warning that “any provocation will be met with an appropriate response.”
  
• The statement read out early Wednesday on state-run television calls on troops to return to barracks immediately, with all leave canceled.
  
• It says that if the country’s degenerating political, social and economic situation is not addressed, it “may result in a violent conflict.”
  
• The army insists that this is not a military takeover and that President Robert Mugabe’s security is guaranteed.

4:55 a.m.

• Zimbabwe’s army has announced that “this is not a military takeover” and that President Robert Mugabe and his family are safe and sound.
  
• “We are only targeting criminals around who him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice,” the army announced on state-run media.
  
• The army statement says that “as soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy.”

[davidbfpo]

A curious event in Harare, the army say we have moved, Robert Mugabe and family are safe and sounds of artillery fire in the north of the city. This is not a coup, a bloodless transition and the dismissed Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa is reportedly back in town. With the Presidential Guard still on duty.

BBC:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41992351

A running story:https://www.theguardian.com/world/li...rt-mugabe-live

[AdamG]

This is not a coup, a bloodless transition and etc & etc

Because all bloodless transitions of power are punctuated by High Explosives.

From the AP updates -

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) --
6:50 a.m.
The Zimbabwe army's takeover of the state broadcaster and action against some members of President Robert Mugabe's government has been praised by the chairman of the Liberation War Veterans' Association.
Chris Mutsvangwa, head of the war veterans' group issued a statement from Johannesburg praising Army General Constantino Chiwenga for carrying out "a bloodless correction of gross abuse of power." The statement said the army will return Zimbabwe to "genuine democracy."

Quack

Opposition leader Tendai Biti told Sky News a transitional authority is needed to secure a road map to democracy.
He said: "If it flaps like a duck, waggles like a duck, then it's a duck. This is a coup, there's no question about that.
"We condemn the extra-legal extraction of power from an elected civilian authority, but having said that we must acknowledge the deep structural underlying causes that would have led the army to do what they are doing now, whether it's pacification or whatever lipstick or mascara they might want to put on (it).
"This is Robert Mugabe's Waterloo and he must accept that. I pray the army do not harm him, I pray that they give him free passage if he wants to leave Zimbabwe."

https://news.sky.com/story/military-...purge-11126302

[AdamG]

Nothing to see here. Stop reading now. Move along.

South Africa’s Ruling ANC Says Wont Intervene In Zimbabwe [totally not a] Coup
https://www.pazimbabwe.com/world-new...abwe-coup.html