The army detained Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo, and several others, including ZANU-PF youth leader, Kudzai Chipanga but those reports remain unconfirmed.
Last week’s shock firing of vice president Mnangagwa, nicknamed “the crocodile” for his ruthlessness, threw into turmoil the narrative that he would take over once Mugabe finally stepped aside.
Even as Mnangagwa fled the country, Mugabe’s wife Grace, long a controversial figure for her ostentatious spending, appeared to be moving to ensure that power would transfer to her.
That appears to have been a step too far for the army, many of whom feared that the First Lady would utilize her hold over the powerful youth wing of ruling party ZANU-PF to oust their leaders.
On Monday, Constantino Chiwenga, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander General, demanded an end to the purging of ruling party members who were loyal to Mnangagwa.
Britain’s Foreign Office has urged all British nationals in Harare to remain safely at home.
“Due to the uncertain political situation in Harare, including reports of unusual military activity, we recommend British nationals currently in Harare to remain safely at home or in their accommodation until the situation becomes clearer,” the FCO said on its website.
The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe told its citizens to “shelter in place” due to “the ongoing political uncertainty through the night.” The embassy is closed today.
War veterans, long-time allies of Mugabe since the 1970s liberation struggle, have claimed he has now betrayed the revolution.
Alongside Mugabe, they spearheaded the repossession of white-owned commercial farms in the 2000s, resulting in deaths and plunging the country into economic chaos, with a barely functioning economy. – The Source
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