Zimbabwe Crises: Mugabe Pressured From All Sides To Step Down

(From right Commander General of Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF) Constantino Chiwenga, next to him is President Robert Mugabe, South African Envoy at the State House, Harare for the Mediation process)

The travails of President Robert Mugabe is far from over as there are mounting pressure from all sides for him to step down.

This further development comes from the fact that Zimbabweans face an uncertain future without their 93 year old leader with the military generals, his once loyal ruling party, opposition leaders and the general public piling pressure on the liberation hero turned authoritarian leader to resign.

Mugabe’s hold on power was broken this week when the military took over in a dispute over who would succeed him and it is expected that he will meet with military generals today for talks on a peaceful resolution to the crises at hand and possible peaceful transition of power.

There have been protests and rally in the capital Harare and other cities in Zimbabwe demanding the end of authoritarian rule and its size can be likened to the marches during Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.

The marches have been largely peaceful despite a stand-off when armed soldiers barred protesters from reaching Mugabe’s official residence.

The demonstrations were called by independence war veterans and included citizens of all ages.

Sources however suggests that Mugabe has been battling to negotiate a delay to his exit and to ensure future protection for him and his family.

Also nine of the ten regional branches of Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF have now called for him to go and there are plans by the party’s executive to meet today to remove Mugabe as the Party leader. (as at the time of publishing this report, they have met and removed him and his wife, Grace)

The Army’s seizure of power was the climax of a dispute over who would succeed the world’s oldest leader with both Mugabe’s wife, Grace Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa seen as leading contenders before the latter was exiled.

The military supported Mnangagwa because they were strongly against the political ambitions of Grace Mugabe.

Meanwhile, Envoys from South Africa have been brought in to mediate the crises between Mugabe and Constantino Chiwenga, the Commander General of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

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