22 November 2017 11:07 am
Robert Mugabe’s ousted deputy Emmerson ‘Crocodile’ Mnangagwa will return to Zimbabwe ‘shortly’ in order to help negotiate a roadmap for the dictator’s departure, the military has said.
General Constantino Chiwenga, chief of the country’s army, announced Mnangagwa’s return on Monday and said that he had already been in contact with Mugabe, describing the talks as ‘encouraging’.
Mr Chiwenga also used a televised statement to reiterate calls for peace and calm while the situation, which he dubbed Operation Restore Legacy, is resolved. It comes as Mugabe continues to cling to power despite being sacked as leader of his Zanu PF party and as impeachment proceedings against him began.One member of the ruling Zanu PF party said the main charge against Mugabe was ‘allowing his wife to usurp government powers’ and that ‘he is too old and cannot even walk without help’. The 93-year-old could be thrown out of parliament within two days and is said to have demanded immunity for him and his wife, Grace, 52. While the impeachment motion against Mugabe has been drafted, parliament does not sit on a Monday, so the action will likely begin at the start of the session on Tuesday.
Harare, (Daily Mail),
20 November 2017