Why Zimbabweans celebrated a military takeover

For now, the army has not announced its next move, but reports are that Mugabe, together with several officials including newly appointed Finance Minister Ignatious Chombo, Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo and Local government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, are in the military’s custody.

The dominant view is that the army intends to force Mugabe to resign and put in place a transitional government which will pave way for fresh elections. To gain legitimacy, the transitional authority may include members from other political parties.

South African President and Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairperson Jacob Zuma has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the Zimbabwean situation Thursday in Botswana, but most Zimbabweans are generally opposed to the idea of foreign intervention.

Zimbabweans believe regional leaders, who have in the past not shown any will to stop Mugabe, will only fight in the veteran ruler’s corner.

In the region, Mugabe remains a popular larger than life figure, a true African leader who fought colonialism and spent his life resisting white supremacy.

Mugabe is shown more love abroad than at home. When he speaks at international platforms, they marvel at his eloquence and admire his spirited demands for nations to be treated equally. He is viewed in the same light with other African greats, founding fathers of the continent such as Nkrumah and Nyerere.

But at home, as the sun sets on his long divisive rule, the nation awaits a new dawn.- The Source

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