The situation has been tense in Zimbabwe, and events are moving at an unprecedented rate. There have been some gaps in terms of the official statements from the ruling party ZANU-PF but it seems Mugabe's time is now up.
Eight Zanu PF’s 10 Provincial Coordinating Committees (PCC) have called on President Robert Mugabe to step down as President of Zimbabwe and President and First Secretary of the party saying he has lost control of the party and government business due to incapacitation stemming from his advanced age.
Ever since the military took over, Zimbabweans have been on the edge, wondering what could unfold next. Zimbabweans have been facing a flurry of emotions, with some excited, and with some treating the whole situation with a pinch of salt. In all this, Mugabe's power has been lowered to levels no one has ever seen in Zimbabwe. He attended the graduation at Zimbabwe Open University today, his second public appearance ever since the military took over.
Now the ruling party, the same that endorsed him as next year's candidate, is now calling for his resignation. It has come as rather an expected surprise- not in a lifetime had Zimbabweans ever thought this day would come. The provinces that have called for his resignation cited Mugabe's inability to deal with cabals within the ruling party.
The Zanu PF Mashonaland West Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) has made seven resolutions, key among them a call on President Robert Mugabe to step down as the First Secretary of the revolutionary party. The PCC also called for the convening of a special central committee meeting within 48 hours to discuss the current political situation. The PCC meeting also called for the renunciation of the G40 cabal, and resolved that there be a revocation and annulment of the suspensions and expulsions that took place after the party’s 2014 congress.
All this now points to the waning grip of power Mugabe is left with on the nation, something that has occurred at the instigation of the military. The general feeling is that if Emmerson Mnangagwa had not been fired, all of this would not be happening.
Members who attended the meeting also unanimously agreed to mobilise for, and attend a solidarity march slated for Saturday the 18th at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Harare in support of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces’ interventions to stabilise the economy and defuse a potential political instability that was threatening peace.
The military has done this whole thing clinically and precisely, and they have also taken major risks here, which could prove fatal if this would fail. But since the ruling party has called on their leader to resign, all signals to a well-orchestrated plan. Of the provinces that have called for Mugabe's resignation, Masvingo province has convened an urgent provincial coordinating committee meeting where Cde Ailess Baloyi, the party’s vice chairman read out the resolutions with the first one being that the province is calling for the immediate resignation of the Zanu PF First Secretary and President, Cde Robert Mugabe.
Cde Baloyi said in the event that Cde Mugabe refuses to resign, the province recommends that he is recalled from both the party and government. The province also said they are in solidarity with the action taken by the ZDF led by General Constantino Chiwenga. Masvingo provincial chairman Cde Ezra Chadzamira and Zanu PF chief whip Cde Lovemore Matuke also said they are now working to rebuild the party that had been invaded by selfish elements. The province also resolved to attend the war veterans’ solidarity rally penciled for this Saturday.
Zanu PF central committee member and war veterans secretary general Cde Victor Matemadanda told party members that Zanu PF does not belong to a family and implored them to bury their differences and embrace everyone as the nation charts its course.
Other party members have expressed their support to the resolutions adding that they wish to see President Mugabe being an adviser after retiring and accept the move taken by the ZDF Commander. National Assembly member for Harare East constituency Cde Terrence Mukupe also said the outcome of the unfolding events in the Zanu PF political terrain will bring positive results since all the members who were corrupt will no longer be tolerated but to face the wrath of the law.
In Bulawayo, the Zanu PF Provincial Coordinating Committee has called for the recalling of the party’s President and First Secretary Cde Robert Mugabe while calling for the re-admission of Cde Mnangagwa as the new party leader.