Updated: Catholic Priest Mediating Between Mugabe and Military Generals as Mugabe Refuses To Step Down, Wants To Finish His Term
A Catholic Priest is reported to be mediating between President Robert Mugabe and the generals from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) to ensure that Mugabe gets a political exit. The ZDF seized power in the early hours of Wednesday and has insisted that this is not a military coup. The ZDF in a report said that it only wanted to arrest the criminals who were around President Mugabe who had caused suffering to the Zimbabwean people.
Reuters reports that Mugabe is refusing to go insisting that he can only be removed by the Zanu-PF party leadership through a vote. Reuters claims to have received this information from political and intelligence sources. Pindula has now confirmed that the Catholic priest in question is Father Fidelis Mukonori.
Mugabe is insisting that the action taken by the military is illegal and that he is still the legitimate head of state. He wants the Zimbabwe defence Forces to admit that what they did was illegal. Mugabe and his advisors are reported to be insisting that the president should finish his term
A source who spoke to Reuters said:
It’s a sort of stand-off, a stalemate. They are insisting the president must finish his term.
The generals, on the other hand, wants former Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa to be reinstated to his previous positions of Vice President of Zimbabwe and Second Secretary of Zanu-PF.
The negotiations are being held at the State House after the generals refused to meet Mugabe at his “Blue Roof” home as it is not his official residence.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information comes in from the negotiations.
More: Reuters