Zimbabwe live updates: Robert Mugabe under house arrest as military seize Harare but deny coup


*President Robert Mugabe under house arrest
*Army detains Finance Minister as 'criminals' rounded up
*Explosions heard as soldiers take over state broadcaster
*British nationals warned to stay indoors


Zimbabwe's military says it has seized power to target "criminals" around President Robert Mugabe, who it said is "safe and sound" in custody with his wife.

The army said it was securing government offices and patrolling the capital's streets, after a night of unrest which included a military takeover of the state broadcaster.

The action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military's supporters praised it as a "bloodless correction".

Wife of Robert Mugabe 'has left the country'

Grace Mugabe, the wife of Zimbabwe's president has reportedly left the country for neighbouring Namibia. Her husband Robert Mugabe is thought to be under house arrest in the southern African country's capital, Harare. It is unclear how Ms Mugabe was able to make her escape. More follows…

The European Union has called for dialogue in Zimbabwe and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

"The recent political developments in Zimbabwe, and their spillover, including in relation to the country's security forces, are a matter of concern," said a spokesman for the European Commission, the EU executive.

"We are following the situation closely and we want to underline that the fundamental rights of all citizens need to be respected and the constitutional order and democratic governance needs to be upheld," he added in a statement.

"We call on all relevant players to move from confrontation to dialogue with the aim to a peaceful crisis resolution."

President Robert Mugabe should be removed as the country's leader, the secretary-general of Zimbabwe's War Veterans Association has said.

Victor Matemadanda said the military takeover was for the good of Zimbabwe.

The British embassy in Harare has said it is following the developments very closely.

Simon Thomas, acting ambassador, confirmed the military are deployed at strategic locations around Harare.


Robert Mugabe 'under arrest'

President Robert Mugabe is under house arrest after the military seized control of Zimbabwe, South African president Jacob Zuma has said. More follows…

"It's very fluid and it's hard to say exactly how this will turn out," Mr Johnson said. "The most important point to make is that everybody wants to see a stable and successful Zimbabwe and I think we are really appealing for everybody to refrain from violence."

Boris Johnson has said it is important everyone refrains from violence in Zimbabwe.

The foreign secretary said the situation is very fluid and it is hard to say how it will turn out.

He went on to he was monitoring the situation and that Britain wants to see a stable and successful Zimbabwe.

Mr Zuma said he spoke to President Mugabe earlier this morning, who indicated he was confined to his home but said he was fine.

South Africa's President, Jacbo Zuma, is sending a special envoy to Zimbabwe to meet with President Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwean army, Reuters reports.

Mr Zuma is doing this in his capacity as chair of the Southern African Development Community.

The Zimbabwean military is in charge of a paramilitary police support unit depot in Harare and has disarmed police officers there, an army source told Reuters.

"They are now in charge of all armoury, all gates and roads leading in or out of the camp. Arcturus Road [which leads to the camp] is closed and all Support Unit details with guns have been disarmed," the source said.



Robert Mugabe's legacy as one of the most ruthless tyrants of modern times will remain long after his days as notorious statesman of Zimbabwe are over.

A representative for Zanu PF in the UK has told the BBC President Robert Mugabe is still in charge, but the ruling party was being "realigned" as part of the army's actions.

Zimbabwe's largest daily newspaper, The Herald, has published its first story since the military takeover.

The article says the action "does not represent a military takeover".

British citizens told to 'stay off the streets' in Zimbabwe

British citizens in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, have been told to stay off the streets as the country's military said it had seized power from President Robert Mugabe.

Speaking on behalf of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Mr Zuma expressed concern about the situation in Zimbabwe.

He called for calm and restraint, and expressed the hope that developments in Zimbabwe don't lead to unconstitutional changes of government, which would be contrary to the conditions of both the SADC and African Union.

The SADC will closely monitor the situation, he added, and remains ready to assist to resolve the political impasse in Zimbabwe.

South Africa's President, Jacob Zuma, has urged the government of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Defence Force to resolve the situation amicably.

Zimbabwe's army: This isn't a coup

Zimbabwe's army has said it has President Robert Mugabe and his wife in custody and is securing government offices and patrolling the capital's streets following a night of unrest that included a military takeover of the state broadcaster. The night's action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military's supporters praised it as a “bloodless correction”.

China said on Zimbabwe military chief General Constantino Chiwenga's visit to the country last week was a normal military visit.

China is closely watching the situation in Zimbabwe and hopes the relevant parties can properly handle their internal affairs, foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing.

The military just detained Zimbabwe's Finance minister

Zimbabwe’s military have detained Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo after seizing power in an attempt to root out “criminals” around President Robert Mugabe who it said were causing social and economic suffering, a government source said.
3 hours ago

British nationals warned to stay indoors as military assumes control of Zimbabwe

British nationals in Zimbabwe's capital Harare are being advised to stay indoors amid reports of “unusual military activity”. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued the guidance in the early hours of Wednesday morning following political tensions in the African country.
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"We wish to make it abundantly clear that this is not a military takeover," Zimbabwe Major General SB Moyo, Chief of Staff Logistics, said on television.

"We are only targeting criminals around [Mr Mugabe] who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.

"As soon as we have accomplished our mission, we expect that the situation will return to normalcy."

Zimbabwe Crisis: Army block main road to government offices

Neither Mr Mugabe nor his wife Grace, who has been vying to succeed her husband as president, have been seen or heard from.

At least three explosions were heard in the capital, Harare, overnight, and military vehicles were seen in the streets.

The army has been praised by the nation's war veterans for carrying out "a bloodless correction of gross abuse of power."

The military will return Zimbabwe to "genuine democracy" and make the country a "modern model nation," Chris Mutsvangwa, chairman of the war veterans' association, told the Associated Press.

The US Embassy closed to the public on Wednesday and encouraged citizens to shelter in place, citing "the ongoing political uncertainty through the night."

The British Embassy issued a similar warning, citing "reports of unusual military activity."

Zimbabwe crisis: Army 'secures' Robert Mugabe and takes control of Harare

Soldiers patrol streets of Harare
Explosions rock Zimbabwe capital in early hours of morning
Military 'takes over state broadcaster'
Army says Mugabe is 'safe and security is guaranteed'
Moves come amid rift between Mugabe and military
Robert Mugabe profile: Legacy of a ruthless tyrant

Zimbabwe's army insisted that President Robert Mugabe is safe as it took over the state broadcaster and arrested a number of senior government officials during a night that saw military vehicles patrolling the streets of the capital while gunfire and explosions rang out.

Military officers denied they had carried out a coup, announcing on state TV that they were targeting a ring of government plotters following a power struggle that saw the vice-president flee the country last week.

"It is not a military takeover of government," an army spokesman said in a televised statement. "We wish to assure the nation that his excellency the president... and his family are safe and sound and their security is guaranteed.

"We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.

"As soon as we have accomplished our mission we expect that the situation will return to normalcy."

The address came hours after several loud explosions echoed across central Harare and troops seized the headquarters of the ZBC, Zimbabwe's state broadcaster.

"Although it doesn’t look like a coup, it is a coup,” Zimbabwe analyst Alex Magaisa, a senior Zimbabwe legal analyst based in the UK, told The Telegraph.

Several cabinet ministers, including local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and finance minister Ignatius Chombo, and Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwayo, were arrested. There was allegedly a brief gun fight outside Mr Chombo’s house. All three are part of the G40 faction of Zanu-PF which is loyal to Grace Mugabe, who was being lined up to take over from her husband after the vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa was fired last week.

Speculation had been mounting throughout the day that a coup was under way against Mr Mugabe, after the head of the armed forces threatened to "step in" over the sacking of an influential vice president.

Gunfire erupted near Mr Mugabe's private residence in Harare in the early hours of Wednesday, a witness told AFP.

"From the direction of his house, we heard about 30 or 40 shots fired over three or four minutes soon after 2.00 am," a resident who lives close to Mugabe's mansion in the suburb of Borrowdale said.

Armed soldiers were assaulting passers-by in the early morning hours in Harare, according to the Associated Press, while officers were seen loading ammunition near a group of four military vehicles.

Robert Mugabe has been removed from power and his former vice president installed as an interim president
Zimbabwe's military officials continue to deny reports of a coup
Harare is swarming with army soldiers, blocking roads and preventing access to government buildings
Ruling party ZANU PF says the so-called crisis is not a coup but a "bloodless transition"
Mugabe is safe but reportedly being held at home with his family, including wife Grace
A number of arrests have been made, including Zanu-PF youth wing leader and Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo
There is calm on the streets of Harare, despite the presence of troops
The army challenged Mr Mugabe after he sacked the vice-president
Zimbabwe's army takes over the national broadcaster, ZBC

TYRANT TOPPLED Zimbabwe despot Robert Mugabe arrested and his hated wife Grace ‘flees to Namibia’ in military coup after bloody 37-year reign as explosions rock the capital Harare

The country's army confirmed the 93-year-old president had been 'detained' after 37 years in office but insisted he was 'safe'. Soldiers had earlier seized the country's state TV station amid explosions and gunfire after tanks rolled into capital Harare

ZIMBABWEAN tyrant Robert Mugabe was this morning booted from office - as a military coup ended his 37-year iron grip on power.

The country's army confirmed the 93-year-old president had been "detained" but insisted he was "safe" - as reports emerged his hated wife Grace had fled to nearby Namibia.

Mugabe shakes hands with Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, left, who is tipped to be the man that replaces him
The crisis arose because of suspicions surrounding the increased role of Mugabe's wife Grace

She was widely accused of running the country for infirm Mugabe and feared to be plotting a power grab when he died.

His reviled wife was this morning reported to have fled to Namibia.

The army finally stepped in yesterday after Mugabe fired popular number two Mnangagwa, his probable successor, last week.

The alleged Zanu-PF account added: "Last night the first family was detained and are safe, both for the constitution and the sanity of the nation this was necessary.

"Today begins a fresh new era and comrade Mnangagwa will help us achieve a better Zimbabwe."

Leading commentator on Zimbabwean politics Chris Mutsvangwa said: “This is a correction of a state that was careering off the cliff.

“It’s the end of a very painful and sad chapter in the history of a young nation, in which a dictator, as he became old, surrendered his court to a gang of thieves around his wife.”

Conservative MP James Duddridge - who dealt with Zimbabwe during a spell at the Foreign Office - said Mugabe should be given a "soft landing" to prevent bloodshed.

He said: "I very much hope for a bloodless and peaceful transition from an autocratic dictator, who has served his time and needs to move on, to a more democratic, open nation state that will trade and prosper and start to rejuvenate the Zimbabwean people.

"There's always a concern when there's a transition of power but we must remember Mugabe is loved by many people around Africa as a revolutionary leader.

"But he's morphed from that into a rather distasteful dictator who has abused his position.

"Providing Mugabe with a soft landing outside of Zimbabwe which, whilst is distasteful given everything that he has done and has been done in his name, will allow for a less bloody transition."
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4912977/zimbabwe-robert-mugabe-wife-grace-latest-news-coup-arrested-harare/

SillyMods:
This is long overdue.