Source: More Mugabe allies arrested – DailyNews Live
Mugove Tafirenyika 17 November 2017
HARARE – The pursuit of President Robert Mugabe’s perceived allies by the
country’s security forces following their seizure of power on Wednesday
morning continued yesterday, with the arrest of more Cabinet ministers and
government officials.
Unconfirmed reports yesterday suggested that the army had also arrested
police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri and Masvingo Provincial
Affairs minister Paul Chimedza.
Higher Education deputy minister Godfrey Gandawa, his Agriculture
counterpart Paddy Zhanda and Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister
Webster Shamu were detained for about five hours, before they were
released.
Chimedza was reportedly arrested at an army roadblock in Bubi while
allegedly trying to flee to South Africa.
While police spokespersons Charity Charamba and Paul Nyathi’s mobile
phones were unreachable yesterday, and have been since the army took
charge, sources close to the developments said several ministers were
frantically looking for ways to skip the country.
“Shamu, Gandawa and Zhanda were stopped at the tollgate near Mount Hampden
while driving to Magunje. They were detained on the road for about five
hours before they were released after being told that they were not among
the `criminals’ they were looking for,” a source close to the trio said,
adding that “an army general came and apologised to the ministers for the
inconvenience and let them go”.
The first batch of Cabinet ministers to be taken into the custody by
Defence Forces commander Constantino Chiwenga-led military includes
Finance minister Ignatius Chombo and his Higher Education and Local
Government counterparts – Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere
respectively.
Arrested together with the trio was youth league secretary Kudzanai
Chipanga, who has since appeared on national television apologising for
disrespecting the military after he issued a statement in support of
President Robert Mugabe, who has since been put under house arrest.
In his statement – issued in the wake of an announcement by Chiwenga
warning Mugabe to stop purges after unceremoniously sacking former vice
president Emmerson Mnangagwa from both Zanu PF and government, Chipanga
said party youths were ready to put their heads on the block in Mugabe’s
defence.
Citing the country’s Constitution Chipanga argued that the military had no
business meddling in politics.
But Chiwenga’s statement was followed by a military takeover that was
announced by Defence spokesperson major general Sibusiso Moyo as the
authorities also said they had Mugabe under house arrest.
While the military is clearly running the show, they have indicated that
they did not wish to take over government but just to track down
“criminals” around the president.
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