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The Tricky Business of Removing Robert Gabriel Mugabe
[All Africa] The military on Friday changed tack in its determination to remove Zim-bob-we President Bob MuggsyMugabe  Nonagenarian President-for-Life of Zim-bob-we who turned the former Breadbasket of Africa into the African Basket Case...from office after he firmly resisted any deal that would prematurely end his leadership of the ruling Zanu-PF party and the country. During discussions with takeover leader General Constantino Chiwenga brokered by South Africa and Botswana, President Mugabe said he would only agree to a transition plan hinged on the country's Constitution. In short, he would not leave the chairmanship of Zanu-PF until the party's congress next month or the presidency before elections expected to be held in July or August next year. Impeachment With Gen Chiwenga and the army still beholden to President Mugabe as commander-in-chief -- and keen not to lose international support if they took power by force -- the generals have now resorted to a political and legally binding solution that will see the President's support within the party weakened from the grassroots before an impeachment in parliament this week. "War veterans are the game-changers. The military is there to uphold the Constitution," war veterans leader Christopher Mutsvangwa told journalists in Harare. "We want the grand show of people's power." Mr Mutsvangwa said if President Mugabe did not resign, the former fighters would "settle scores" at a rally planned for Saturday. Zim-bob-we's generals are now pursuing a political route to push President Mugabe out within a week of putting him under house arrest. Away from the capital Harare, Zanu-PF has convened provincial meetings to elect new officials and called a Central Committee meeting, on the orders of the military. "President Mugabe was stage-managing rallies with his wife," Mr Mutsvangwa said, explaining why the party meetings will be different this time. A Zanu-PF Central Committee meeting is now scheduled for Sunday, where President Mugabe and his wife will be expelled from the party he helped establish in 1963. Sacked vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is believed to be the brains behind the army takeover, will be made party president, just a fortnight after the same Zanu-PF structures were being railroaded to pass a vote of no confidence against him. Days earlier, President Mugabe had fired his long-time lieutenant for "disloyalty and deceit." Posted by: Fred 2017-11-19 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=501973 |