Zimbabwe was set for more political turmoil Saturday with
protests planned as veterans of the independence war, activists and
ruling party leaders called publicly for President Robert Mugabe to be
forced from office.
The marches will
cap an unprecedented week in which generals seized power and put Mugabe
under house arrest in a stunning turnaround for the president who has
ruled since 1980.
The 93-year-old
autocrat did not resign in talks with the army chief on Thursday and
sources suggested the veteran leader was "buying time" to negotiate an
end to his 37 year reign.
Power grab
Mugabe
appeared publicly for the first time at a pre-planned graduation
ceremony in Harare on Friday, further stoking questions over the status
of his discussions with General Constantino Chiwenga, who led the
military power grab.
Later in the day, eight of Mugabe's ruling party's 10 regional branches took to state television to call for him to go.
Cornelius Mupereri, a spokesman for Zanu-PF's
Midlands region, was one of several party barons to appear on ZBC's
nightly news to read almost identical statements calling on Mugabe to
quit.
Chris Mutsvangwa, chairman of the independence
war veterans' association, said "the game is up" for Mugabe and
announced street protests against the president.
"It's done, it's finished... The generals have done a fantastic job," he said at a press conference in Harare.
"We want to restore our pride and (Saturday) is the day... we can finish the job which the army started."
The
veterans' association supports ousted vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa
— whose sacking sparked the army intervention on Tuesday.
They are organising a gathering at a large sports field in a working class suburb on the outskirts of Harare.
It was the location of Mugabe's first speech after returning from exile in Mozambique in 1979.
Demonstrators had begun to arrive in the area by midnight local time.
The
US embassy in Harare warned its citizens to avoid another protest —
thought to be a pro-Mugabe counter-demonstration — expected to take
place in Robert Mugabe Square in the centre of the capital.
Other demonstrations are expected elsewhere in the country on Saturday.
Crisis
Pastor
Evan Mawarire, an outspoken Mugabe critic who rose to prominence last
year with his #ThisFlag protest movement challenging the president over
the economic crisis, called on Zimbabweans of all backgrounds to march
with the war veterans.
"The citizens
are joining hands across political divides... across ideological
divides," he said in a live broadcast on Facebook.
"We
have joined hands with war veterans, with the church and young people.
We will stand together for a new Zimbabwe... We are marching in order
for us to thank our military."
Some Zimbabweans remain wary of the army's intentions however.
"Once
things stabilise, once Mugabe is out of the way, we also want them out
as well — they are from the same regime," said Matthew Chakanetsa, a
35-year-old taxi driver.
Despite
appeals for Zimbabweans to turn out in force, it remained unclear
whether demonstrators would heed the calls in a country where public
protest has previously been violently suppressed.
But
a video emerged late on Friday of activists in the second city Bulawayo
apparently offering free transport to Harare for residents eager to
join Saturday's march.
Succession dispute
Zimbabwe's
military chiefs said in statement Friday they had detained some
"criminals" in Mugabe's government after their lightning power grab
which appeared to be the climax of a dispute over who would succeed the
veteran leader. They did not give any indication about whether Mugabe
would remain head of state.
Before being pushed out, vice president Mnangagwa had clashed repeatedly with Mugabe's wife Grace, 52.
Grace
Mugabe and Mnangagwa were seen as the leading contenders to replace
Mugabe but Mnangagwa had the tacit support of the armed forces, which
viewed Grace — a political novice — with derision.
The United States has called for the Zimbabwe army to quickly relinquish power.
"We
all should work together for a quick return to a civilian rule," said
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ahead of talks with African foreign
ministers.
Mugabe critic Mawarire,
whose strike action in July 2016 was violently put down by security
forces, added "we have to fight for ourselves".
"This time around, we are not waiting."
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