Mrs GRACE MUGABE. She has not been seen in public since the 'coup' on November 14. PHOTO | AFP
On the eve of the swearing in of Zimbabwe’s next leader Emmerson
Mnangagwa, focus is turning to the fate of former first lady Grace
Mugabe.
She has not been seen in public since the 'coup' on November 14.
Mr Mnangagwa will be sworn in on Friday as Zimbabwe’s second executive president since independence in 1980.
President Robert Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, a week after he was put under house arrest by the military.
Between
the surprise military action and his resignation, the 93-year-old
former strongman was photographed meeting his captors during the tense
negotiations for his exit and his young wife was conspicuous by her
absence.
On November 19, he appeared on national television looking subdued, but delivered a speech where he defied calls to stand down.
Mr Mugabe has not been seen in public since then, but a picture showing him at home with his wife has since gone viral.
The picture shows the ex-president and the 52-year-old Grace seated on a sofa at their Harare mansion.
Former
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono, Central Intelligence
Organisation acting director Aaron Nhepera and Catholic priest Father
Fidelis Mukonori, a long-time confidante of Zimbabwe’s former leader are
also in the picture.
The trio negotiated on behalf of Mr Mugabe as the military tightened the screws on their commander-in-chief.
Arrests
However,
two ministers who were believed to be hiding at the then first family’s
mansion are not in the picture, prompting human rights groups to raise
alarm about the fate of the long-time ruler’s loyalists, reportedly
arrested by the military.
Higher Education minister
Jonathan Moyo and Saviiour Kasukuwere reportedly escaped from their
Harare homes under a hail of bullets and have not been seen in public
since then.
“Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
has noted with apprehension some disconcerting reports that during
Operation Restore Legacy there may be some arrests and detention of
people following the announcement made by Major General Sibusiso Moyo on
15 November 2017,” ZLHR said in a statement on Thursday.
“In
the event that any such arrests have indeed been made, ZLHR reminds the
Zimbabwe Defence Forces of their obligation to ensure full compliance
with the constitutional guarantees protecting human rights and the rule
of law.”
From the onset, the army has denied that it staged a coup, saying it was only targeting criminals around Mr Mugabe.
Only
the arrest of Finance minister Ignatius Chombo has been made public,
but he was yet to be taken to court, a week after his detention.
“Great risk”
Human
Rights Watch said the military should publicly acknowledge the
identities and location of everyone arrested and detained during the
army takeover.
“The military should clear the air
about any arrests across Zimbabwe and hand over any criminals suspects
to the appropriate civilian authorities according to the law,” said Mr
Dewa Mavhinga, the Southern Africa director at HRW.
“Failing to disclose the whereabouts of those detained is an enforced disappearance that places detainees at great risk.”
Soldiers
targeted members of a ruling Zanu-PF faction who opposed Mr Mnangagwa’s
ambitions to become president during the military intervention.
The
rival faction loyal to the former first lady wanted her to be appointed
vice-president at Zanu-PF’s congress scheduled for next month.
Meanwhile,
the guarantees made to Mr Mugabe and his family about their security
and immunity from prosecution have not been made public.
The
former president and his wife are considered among the richest people
in Zimbabwe, with most of the wealth having been seized from white
farmers at the height of a controversial land reform programme.
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