By Just a few hours after Zimbabwe’s head of armed forces threatened to intervene in Zimbabwe politics if Mugabe did not end the sacking of veterans from the government, tanks have been witnessed entering the capital, Harare, raising suspicions of a coup.
Gen Constantino Chiwenga, had earlier stated and warned that he was very ready to ‘step in’ and help end the purge of ruling of the ZANU-PF party, he warned on Monday.
‘The current purging, which is clearly targeting members of the party with a liberation background, must stop forthwith,’ exclaimed the General.
‘We must remind those behind the current treacherous shenanigans that, when it comes to matters of protecting our revolution, the military will not hesitate to step in,’ Gen Chiwenga further said in a statement read to reporters at a news conference on Monday.
The General gave the statement referring to the recently fired Zimbabwe Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been long known as the successor of Mugabe after he will have stepped down.
According to the witnesses and the sources, four armed tanks were seen entering Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital on Tuesday, while other two were seen still packed at the main road that goes from Harare to Chinhoyi, just a few miles to the capital.
President Robert Mugabe earlier had angrily fired his long time political buddy and Vice President over accusations of trying to plan against him and his ZANU-PF, the ruling party.
According to the political analysts, the step was clearly taken to pave a way for the First Lady, Grace Mugabe to take over the VP post, and later seen as the successor of her husband, a move that is said to have turned Zimbabwe in to a monarchy.
After he was thrown out of the government, the former Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa threatened to go back to Zimbabwe in just a few days to liberate the country from the Mugabe rule – he was based in South Africa, where he said to have run to, in safety of his life.
Following Mr. Mnangagwa’s promise to the Zimbabwe nation, it still remains untold if he is the master mind behind the said to be current coup against the 93 year old, President Robert Gabriel Mugabe.
Reporter: Shamilah Namuddu