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WORLD NEWS Thursday 16 November 2017

After 37 years, rule of Zimbabwe’s Mugabe appears to be over

By FARAI MUTSAKA er of the G40, a group of
ANDREW MELDRUM Cabinet ministers and of-
Associated Press ficials in their 40s and 50s
HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — who are too young to have
Zimbabwe’s military con- fought in Zimbabwe’s war
trols the capital and the to end white-minority Rho-
state broadcaster and is desia. When Mnangagwa
holding President Robert was fired, the generals and
Mugabe, 93, and his wife war veterans felt they were
under house arrest. It ap- being sidelined and took
pears that the world’s old- action to stop that, analysts
est head of state has been say.
deposed by a coup. Mnangagwa’s where-
But the military is at pains to abouts were not clear
say it did not stage a mili- Wednesday. He fled the
tary takeover, instead start- country last week, citing
ing a process to restore Zim- threats to him and his fam-
babwe’s democracy. ily.
After 37 years, the military Critics of the government
seems to have brought urged Mugabe to go qui-
an end to Mugabe’s long etly. “The old man should
reign in what the army’s be allowed to rest,” former
supporters praised as a Zimbabwe finance minister
“bloodless correction.” and current activist Ten-
South Africa and other dai Biti told South African
neighboring countries are In this Sept, 1, 2017 photo, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe addresses party supporters at a broadcaster eNCA.
rally in Gweru, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe’s army said Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, it has Mugabe and
sending in leaders to nego- his wife in custody and is securing government offices and patrolling the capital’s streets following On Monday the army com-
tiate with Mugabe and the a night of unrest that included a military takeover of the state broadcaster. mander made an unprec-
generals to encourage the (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi) edented statement criti-
transition. ited amounts of cash, a plea is that whoever takes conference next month. cizing Mugabe for pushing
Citizens in Zimbabwe’s tidy result of this once-prosper- over should sort out the But the first lady is unpop- aside veterans of the lib-
capital, Harare, contrib- ous country’s plummeting economy. We are tired of ular among many Zim- eration war. The following
uted to the feeling of a economy. living like this.” babweans for her lavish day, the ruling party con-
smooth change by carry- “I am just following what is The whiplash develop- spending on mansions, cars demned the army leader
ing on with their daily lives, happening on WhatsApp ments followed Mugabe’s and jewels. Last month she for “treasonable conduct.”
walking past the army’s but I am still in the dark firing last week of his depu- went to court to sue a dia- ON Tuesday evening the
armored personnel carri- about what is happening,” ty, which appeared to po- mond dealer for not sup- army sent armored person-
ers to go to work and to said Felix Tsanganyiso, who sition the first lady, Grace plying her with a 100-carat nel carriers into Harare and
shops. Many who have sells mobile airtime vouch- Mugabe, to replace Em- diamond that she said she soon seized control of the
never known any leader ers. “So far so good; we are merson Mnangagwa as had paid for. state broadcaster and oth-
but Mugabe waited in long going about our business one of the country’s two Grace Mugabe, 52, has er strategic points, includ-
lines at banks to draw lim- without harassment. My vice presidents at a party been known as the lead- ing Mugabe’s residence. q
Kenya court hears petitions against Kenyatta’s re-election

By TOM ODULA Opposition leader Raila Donald Deya, representing various constituencies with turnout of 38 percent in last
Associated Press Odinga boycotted the re- human rights activists and the results of the election, month’s vote, saying the
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ke- peat election, saying elec- petitioners Njonjo Mue and which Kenyatta won with commission embellished its
nya’s Supreme Court jus- toral reforms had not been Khelef Khalifa, said the new 98 percent of the vote. figures. They say the turnout
tices listened to arguments made. vote had irregularities and Lawyer Harun Ndubi, rep- was about 20 percent.
Wednesday from two pe- Lawyer Benjamin Musyoki, illegalities similar to those resenting Mue and Khalifa, The nullification of Kenya’s
titions seeking to overturn representing politician and that led to the annulment said scrutiny of the docu- August election was the first
President Uhuru Kenyatta’s petitioner Harun Mwau, of the original election. The ments would prove irregu- time a court in Africa had
re-election in last month’s argued that the electoral voter register was inflated larities and illegalities were overturned a presidential
repeat poll. commission went against by more than 20,000 votes, committed in vote tabula- ballot. At least 70 people
The court made history the constitution in failing to Deya said. tion. have died in political unrest
when it nullified Kenyatta’s ensure that fresh nomina- The court ordered access Odinga and civil rights ac- since then, the majority of
re-election in August, citing tions for candidates were for teams representing Mue tivists have disputed the them opposition demon-
irregularities and illegalities, held before the Oct. 26 re- and Khalifa to go through electoral commission’s of- strators shot by police dur-
and ordered a new vote. peat election. the original forms from ficial statistics showing a ing protests.q