Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe his first public appearance since the military seized control of the country, attending a graduation ceremony at Harare's Open University on Friday morning.

In an apparent display of defiance, the 93-year-old arrived at the ceremony on Friday morning dressed in a blue academic gown and tasselled hat. The event appears to allow him to project the image of leadership, even as calls for his departure after 37 years in power grow stronger.

It came during an extraordinary series of negotiations with regional leaders. Zimbabwe's military said it was making "significant progress" in the talks while it pursues and arrests some allies of the leader and his wife.

A senior source in Zanu-PF told Reuters news agency the party was due to meet on Friday to draft a motion to fire Mr Mugabe on Sunday. If Mr Mugabe still refuses to stand down, the party plans to impeach him on Tuesday, according to the source.

Talks with Mr Mugabe continued, the military said in a statement reported by the state-run Herald newspaper and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.

Zimbabwe's military is "currently engaging with the Commander-in-Chief President Robert Mugabe on the way forward and will advise the nation of the outcome as soon as possible," the statement said.

"Significant progress has been made in their operation to weed out criminals around President Mugabe," it said, adding that the military had already arrested some although others remained at large. Those sought had been "committing crimes that were causing social and economic suffering in Zimbabwe."

The military is seeking Cabinet ministers and other top officials who had been associates of first lady Grace Mugabe, part of a clique dubbed the G40 because many were in their 40s and 50s. They are of a different generation from the one that fought for independence from white minority rule.

Army troops and armored vehicles continued to patrol the capital, Harare, as Zimbabweans went about their daily business.

The military has had Mugabe under house arrest since late Tuesday, yet it is taking pains to show respect for the 93-year-old leader, the world's oldest head of state, by referring to him as the president and the commander-in-chief.

The ongoing negotiations appear to be trying to get Mugabe to agree to hand over to a new government. But difficulties could include the timing. The ruling party is set to meet next month, and Mugabe's term ends next year. An election date has not been set.

In a striking image of the fluidity of the political situation, the Zimbabwe Herald on Thursday published photos of Mugabe jovially shaking hands with army commander Constantino Chiwenga, the general who ordered the president's arrest.

Others pictured in the first round of talks at State House, the president's official residence, include Defense Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, Intelligence Minister Kembo Mohadi, South African Cabinet ministers who are acting as mediators and a local Catholic priest, Fidelis Mukonori, whom Mugabe has used as a mediator before.

Grace Mugabe was not pictured. Her rapid political rise had alarmed many who feared she could succeed her husband after he fired his longtime deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, last week. That firing set off the military's moves, and Mnangagwa is expected to lead any new government.

The military wants the process of establishing the new government to appear to be constitutional in order to maintain a veneer of legality and the approval of the 16-nation regional bloc, the Southern African Development Community, and the African Union.

As a landlocked country, regional sanctions by the bodies could be harmful to Zimbabwe's already ailing economy.

A committee of SADC on Thursday has recommended an emergency summit of heads of state to discuss the Zimbabwe situation. It was not clear when that would take place.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/11/17/zimbabwes-ruling-party-drafting-motion-fire-robert-mugabe-sunday/

I’ve never seen/read about a coup as confusing as this since I was born
There must be another name for this type of coup

...pictures


Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe arrives to preside over a student graduation ceremony at Zimbabwe Open University on the outskirts of Harare CREDIT: AP


Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe arrives to preside over a student graduation ceremony at Zimbabwe Open University on the outskirts of Harare CREDIT: AP

But where is lalasticlala sef..

Daddy GO Mugabe is doing fine. Coup or no Coup; its an internal party affair and no one should intervene.

Be it SADC, Jacob Zuma, Nnamdi Kanu, Muhammadu Buhari, ECOWAS, EU, UK, USA or even former US President and African born Barack Obama should intervene.

ZANU PF for life...Sai Mugabe

........more pictures

Robert Mugabe poses alongside General Constantino Chiwenga and South African envoys at the State House in Harare CREDIT: AFP

Significant progress has been made in their operation to weed out criminals around President Mugabe," it said, adding that the military had already arrested some although others remained at large. Those sought had been "committing crimes that were causing social and economic suffering in Zimbabwe."

Weed out criminals around their president.
Hmmmmmm...

That his wife wey dey eye presidency before .

......ruthless bitch

Strong man of Zimbabwe..

Strong man

Lol..Mugabe and his signature mustache. Even at 93
Reminds me of Kenneth Kaunda and his hairstyle

The young man staged his own coup in order to flush out oppositions in his government. Let's not be deceived, this boy will rule for life.


Britain go and hug transformation and let UK mourn her demise.

confused military; they laid siege for days, seized power, blocked all roads only to chase out a lady; must be the most stupid thing I have ever seen a military formation do.

No weakness

This Zimbabwean Army military Soup is watery

Welcome back Mugabe.
Rochas can now finish your statue in peace.

I want to leave Africa

dis guy is more of a hero jare

vorigan:
....Zimbabweans are by far the most confused set of Africans!!....No wonder the 90 something year old papa has been at the helm of affairs for 37 years.......VERY CONFUSED PEOPLE

What about your country and president 90yrs claiming 74yrs with no achievement to show for it? Remove the log in your eyes first.

Imagine this old man, could he be the man of varlour I have been hearing in the Bible?

Make una leave us for this man matter oooo

I stand with Mugabe, say no to military coup in Africa

Read below. This is an interesting Conspiracy Theory behind what’s currently happening in Zimbabwe. This is important since it’s reported that Mr. Mugabe went for a graduation ceremony today. This was a man reported to have been deposed and on house arrest.

Here is the Conspiracy Theory:

A few weeks ago President Robert Mugabe called his Vice Emmerson Mnangagwa and the army chief, General Chiwenga to a secret meeting at State House while his wife, Grace Mugabe, was out of the country shopping. He complained about how Grace was pushing him to an early death. He confidentially told them that he had been trying to get rid of her, but did not know how. “She has been pushing me too hard. I had wanted to retire in 2008”, he lamented.

Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa and the General told him they had a plan. He should fire Emerson. The army would then move in. Grace would flee, and Emerson would come back to be reappointed. President Robert Mugabe would then resign, be given immunity from prosecution, a nice pension, security and all the perks of a former President. As the imperialists gloat and have gin and tonic, President Mugabe would have the last laugh.

In one brilliant move, Mugabe has gotten rid of Grace, retires gracefully and lives happily ever after never to see or hear from her again, nor the imperialists!

Keneking:
But where is lalasticlala sef..

Daddy GO Mugabe is doing fine. Coup or no Coup; its an internal party affair and no one should intervene.

Be it SADC, Jacob Zuma, Nnamdi Kanu, Muhammadu Buhari, ECOWAS, EU, UK, USA or even former US President and African born Barack Obama should intervene.

ZANU PF for life...Sai Mugabe

You even added Nnamdi Kanu?

You think they're talking of a meeting of pigs and idiots?

chess is the only game in the world, which reflects the statusof the husband. The poor King (Mugabe) can only take one stepat a time.... while the mighty Queen (DisGrace) can do whatever she likes.

These guys are funny.The should read how coups were organized in West Africa