Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe should resign ‘forthwith’, says ex-VP

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe should acknowledge the nation’s “insatiable desire” for a leadership change and resign immediately, the recently fired vice president has said.

The statement by Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was dismissed earlier this month, came as impeachment proceedings were set to begin.

His words add to the immense pressure on 93-year-old Mugabe to quit after nearly four decades in power, during which he evolved from a champion of the fight against white minority rule into a figure blamed for a collapsing economy, government dysfunction and human rights violations.

The ruling ZANU-PF party was poised to begin impeachment proceedings against Mugabe after its Central Committee voted to oust the president as party leader and select Mr Mnangagwa as his replacement, a move that eventually could allow the former vice president to become head of state.

Mnangagwa served for decades as Mugabe’s enforcer, with a reputation for being astute and ruthless.

“The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call and resign forthwith so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,” Mnangagwa said.

Concern over dynastic succession

Mnangagwa, who fled the country and has not appeared in public during the past week’s political turmoil, said Mugabe had invited him to return to Zimbabwe “for a discussion” on recent events.

However, he said he will not return for now, alleging that there had been plans to kill him at the time of his firing.

“I will be returning as soon as the right conditions for security and stability prevail,” said Mnangagwa, who has a loyal support base in the military.

“Never should the nation be held at ransom by one person ever again, whose desire is to die in office at whatever cost to the nation.”

Zimbabwe’s polarising first lady, Grace Mugabe, had been positioning herself to succeed her husband, leading a party faction that engineered Mnangagwa’s removal.

The prospect of a dynastic succession alarmed the military, which confined Mugabe to his home last week and targeted what it called “criminals” around him who were allegedly looting state resources – a reference to associates of the first lady.