Source: AS IT HAPPENED: ‘This is a great day’: Zimbabweans revel in Mugabe’s ruin | News24
Zimbabweans protesting against President Robert Mugabe and calling for a ‘New Zimbabwe’ have converged and were addressed in their numbers, with some now blocked from heading in the direction of Mugabe’s private residence, Blue Roof.
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‘This is a great day’: Zimbabweans revel in Mugabe’s ruin
President Robert Mugabe clings to office, the military is in power and the much-feared Zanu-PF party still rules – but Zimbabweans put such issues aside on Saturday to happily embrace what they hope is a new era for the country.
Many protesters welcomed the army’s takeover this week that has brought 93-year-old Mugabe’s previously impregnable reign to the brink of collapse.
“Just look at the crowds here… Finally we can hope to have jobs when I finish university,” Tafadzwa Musarurwa, a 22-year-old social studies student at the University of Zimbabwe, who marched in the central business district, told AFP.
As a carnival atmosphere spread through the city, demonstrators swigged from beer bottles and danced in the road demanding that Mugabe accept defeat and step down.
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Zuma says Zimbabwe situation is in ‘early days’
South African President Jacob Zuma two days ago said Zimbabwe’s political situation “very shortly will be becoming clear.” Now Zuma says the situation is in “early days”.
Zuma says he’s cautiously optimistic it will be “resolved amicably” as Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe resists stepping aside.
Zuma spoke with Mugabe under military house arrest earlier this week and sent Cabinet ministers to negotiate on Mugabe’s departure. He calls those talks “fruitful” but gives no details.
Zuma also says South Africa’s government supports “the people of Zimbabwe during this difficult period”. He reiterates the African Union’s stance against “unconstitutional changes in government”.
Zimbabweans are rallying outside their consulate in South Africa in solidarity with thousands marching in their capital against long-time President Robert Mugabe.
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SADC to discuss Zimbabwe next week Tuesday
Zimbabwe’s political situation is set to be discussed on Tuesday when four countries with the southern African regional bloc meet in Angola.
The Southern African Development Community summit will include the heads of state of South Africa, which has sent Cabinet members to negotiate with Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe on a departure.
Also attending are the heads of state of Angola, Tanzania and Zambia.
Mugabe is under military house arrest after he fired his longtime deputy and appeared to position his wife to succeed him. He is said to be resisting efforts to step aside.
16:32
Zimbabwe media call country ‘free and liberated’
Zimbabwe’s state-run broadcaster is calling the country “free and liberated” as the bulk of the capital’s population seems to be streaming toward the official residence of longtime President Robert Mugabe in a call for him to leave.
The broadcaster is showing previously unthinkable footage of speeches at a rally where speakers declare that “This is the new Zimbabwe”.
Mugabe is said to be resisting calls to step down even as he remains under military house arrest.
One speaker at the rally is expressing popular anger at first lady Grace Mugabe, whose apparent attempts to succeed her husband were a factor in the military’s move.
“You and your husband should go today and not tomorrow,” the speaker says.
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Zim military urges marchers to be orderly, warns against ‘agent provocateurs’
Zimbabwe’s military is urging the thousands upon thousands of people streaming through the capital to be orderly and “vigilant against agent provocateurs” who might wish to discredit the push to get longtime President Robert Mugabe to step aside.
The new statement read out on state-run television comes as much of Harare’s population appears to be marching toward Mugabe’s official residence, the State House. Mugabe lives in a mansion elsewhere in the city, however, and is under house arrest.
The military thanks the marchers and says its “operation” to arrest some top officials close to Mugabe and his wife continues.
15:57
Zimbabwe army stops crowd marching on Mugabe’s official home
Zimbabwe soldiers blocked thousands of protesters as they tried to march on embattled President Robert Mugabe’s official residence in Harare on Saturday, an AFP correspondent on the scene said.
The demonstrators, participating in nationwide protests calling for the 93-year-old veteran leader to step aside after the army took power earlier this week, staged a sit-down protest in the road after being halted by the troops.
The crowd got within 200 metres of the gates to the complex that has been the nerve centre of Mugabe’s authoritarian rule, as large protests swept through the capital.
“This is not fair. Why are the soldiers preventing us to march to State House?” Rutendo Maisiri, an unemployed 26-year-old woman said. “It is wrong. We will stay put.”
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(Photo: Supplied)
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(Photo: Supplied)
COMMENTS
Is it a “New Zimbabwe” for the people, or merely a case of one Big Man dictator ousting another Big Man dictator? Until ZANU-PF changes, Mugabe’s departure means nothing. He’ll be out of power, but he and Grace will depart with their stolen billions intact, and ZANU-PF’s reign of terror, fraud, and rigged elections will continue unabated. The people’s unsupported optimism will quickly wane when the reality of the situation slaps them in the face and wakes them up. Emmerson’s hands are as dirty as Robert’s. My guess is that Mugabe will stay in Zim at ZANU-PF’s insistence… perhaps even keep their stoles properties as hush money. Otherwise, in some other country he’d be vulnerable to arrest and charges before the ICC, and in that trial, he might name names. That could put Emmerson and a whole bunch of generals and other ZANU-PF bigwigs in real jeopardy were they ever to set foot outside the borders. Of course, Robert could also face one of those unfortunate road accidents that terminated so many investigations. Mr Mugabe, if the CIO comes to take you for a nice drive in the country, I’m hoping you’ll go… and enjoy it while it lasts. Don’t ask what the hammer is for.
ZANU won’t change and it is evident it’s one mass murderer for another. Both their hands are dripping with blood. Chiwenga is a nasty brute. Look at his ridiculous self glorifying house. The rally that the easily exploited had yesterday will never be countenanced if organised by the MDC.
ummmmmm ok now thats how you see it
Mnangagwa and Chiwenga organised it. Why would they do that? They have been thick with Mugabe for decades. They influenced him to steal the 2008 election. Mugabe said today that Morgan got 72percent and he wanted to resign but M and C weren’t having it. So they rigged it to have a rerun. Then as was inevitable Zimbabwe collapsed with ZANU running the show, they heap all the blame on a geriatric who can hardly keep his eyes open and is too feeble to fight back. They should all f*** off but none of the demonstrators yesterday said as much, because they are all so damned stupid and think M and C are their saviours.
Another thing… Mugabe might have dirt on various SADC leaders, it’s a dictators’ club after all so they have to be careful about throwing him to the wolves. No he is going to have to ‘die in his sleep’ as there is far too much dirt on everyone he has including Mnangagwa and Chiwenga. If the dossiers are released ‘in the event of my untimely death’ then I guess they could plausibly deny the dirt as the fictional work of ‘agents provocateurs’ or ‘anti revolutionaries’ Depending on provable evidence of course, though they would still deny. They will insist ZANU PF is the centre of the universe despite the ridiculousness of the assertion and the citizens will give a wry chuckle and accept it.
You missed the point. The point is removing Mugabe by any means necessary. Send a thief to catch a thief.
But you still have a thief-you are going around in circles. Why bother?
Reveling in Mugabe’s ruin is a natural outcome of the long awaiting result of the Zimbabwean people. This euphoric outcome will soon subside once the new government start to take place. The question that must be asked by the Zimbabwean people is, what now? Will there be tangible political and economical changes in Zimbabwe that would yield real and tangible results for the masses to improve their lives? A very vigilant an watchful eyes of the Zimbabwean is required to carefully monitor the new team of Zimbabwe’s leaders. Like the standard and typical result of any sudden changes brought by the new administration, Zimbabwe would face a transitional uncertainties for a short time. However, this short period of time to adjusting to realities, must be within the realm of practicalities and facts. If the new leaders start to operate behind smoke screens and “happy feel” facades, this unfortunately, would condition the Zimbabweans to gradually fall victim to the same old same old tactics of the greener grass of the other side of the fence! Therefore, it is a must for each and every Zimbabwean to carefully monitor each and every member of the ruling class in the ruling class and their families to see which way all the national treasures are being directed. First most important action of the new government must be watches is, who from the West is getting in closer with whom? With what deceptive slogans and actions the new friends of Zimbabwe are starting to set up their shops to do what? How directly such operations would benefit the ordinary Zimbabwean first? Because the corruption is such an edible candy that almost all the politicians and their facilitators cannot resist to taste. So before the ordinary Zimbabwean go out celebrating prematurely, be steadfast in your resolves to wait and carefully watch the new government like a hawk to make sure to be ready to voice your opinions and follow your actions with deeds that must only yield results for the ordinary Zimbabweans first and foremost. Keep a very wide eyed watch over the coming days of many possible opportunists ready to feast on the lootings of Zimbabwe with all sorts of deceptive make believe good things heading through the pipeline for the Zimbabweans while the real pipelines will be carrying the goodies through a diversionary rerouting of the detours!
So, in short, pigs jostling at the trough whilst Zimbos steadfastly watch as the country is plundered all in the name of a revolution, about which they have been brainwashed for decades and they continue to believe. Zimbabweans, trapped in their own delusions of continued revolution and ‘struggle’ for independence despite the fact that they have had control over their own destiny for decades. Grew up there, educated there, worked there, lived there and love it to bits but the continual bullsh&t about war and revolution is v wearing. Grow up Zimbabwe, the world is trying to move on.
So in short carefully ensure the cruise control is operating while the bus goes over the cliff.