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Zimbabwe Parliament Receives Motion To Remove Mugabe

Mugabe has ruled since independence in 1980 but is seeing the swift erosion of his power.
Protesters call for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to resign.
Mike Hutchings / Reuters
Protesters call for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to resign.

HARARE (Reuters) -Zimbabwe's parliament has received a motion to impeach President Robert Mugabe after the army seized power last week, Speaker Jacob Mudenda said on Tuesday.

Mudenda said parliament would adjourn to a hotel to start the impeachment proceedings against the 93-year-old president, who defied his party's Monday noon deadline to resign. Zimbabwean law says a joint sitting can take place anywhere.

Mugabe led the country's liberation war and has ruled since independence in 1980 but is seeing the swift erosion of his power. He has won a series of elections but is viewed by many in Africa and beyond as a leader who has crippled his country by holding on to power too long.

Mugabe has shown no sign of resigning. He has called for the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, which would be the first time ministers meet him since last week's military takeover dubbed "Operation Restore Legacy".

Zimbabwe's Commander Defence Forces General Constatntino Guveya Chiwenga speaks during a press conference at the Tongogara Barracks on November 20, 2017 in Harare, Zimbabwe.
AFP/Getty Images
Zimbabwe's Commander Defence Forces General Constatntino Guveya Chiwenga speaks during a press conference at the Tongogara Barracks on November 20, 2017 in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe's information minister said on Tuesday he did not know if ministers would attend the cabinet meeting.

"The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabethat he should take heed of this clarion call ... to resign so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy," Mnangagwa said in a statement.

The army seized power because Mugabe sacked Mnangagwa to smooth a path to the presidency for his wife Grace, who is unpopular with many Zimbabweans. Reuters reported in September that Mnangagwa was plotting to succeed Mugabe with army backing at the helm of a broad coalition.

The plot posited an interim national unity government that would have the blessing of much of the international community and allow for Zimbabwe's re-engagement with the outside world. Its primary aim was to stabilize its economy.

The former vice president was a key lieutenant to Mugabe for decades and stands accused of participating in repression against Zimbabweans who challenged the leader.

Chris Mutsvangwa, center, head of the Zimbabwe War Veterans Association, speaks during a news conference to announce the start of impeachment proceedings against Robert Mugabe.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Chris Mutsvangwa, center, head of the Zimbabwe War Veterans Association, speaks during a news conference to announce the start of impeachment proceedings against Robert Mugabe.

Mnangagwa said he has fled Zimbabwe because of a threat to his life after being purged from the ruling party. He said he had been in contact with Mugabe and invited to return but would not do so until his security could be guaranteed.

"I told the President that I would not return home now until I am satisfied of my personal security, because of the manner and treatment given to me upon being fired," he said in a statement.

Mnangagwa said on Tuesday his desire was to join all Zimbabweans in a "new era" that would rebuild the economy for the benefit of all.

Zimbabwe's top general said on Monday that the army's intervention was progressing well.

In the draft impeachment motion, ZANU-PF - which expelled Mugabe from the party on Sunday - accused him of being a "source of instability", flouting the rule of law and presiding over an "unprecedented economic tailspin" in the last 15 years.

It also said Mugabe had abused his constitutional mandate to favor his wife Grace.

University of Zimbabwe's students take part in a demonstration on November 20, 2017 in Harare to demand the withdrawal of Grace Mugabe's doctorate and refused to sit their exams as pressure builds on Zimbabwe's President to resign.
ZINYANGE AUNTONY via Getty Images
University of Zimbabwe's students take part in a demonstration on November 20, 2017 in Harare to demand the withdrawal of Grace Mugabe's doctorate and refused to sit their exams as pressure builds on Zimbabwe's President to resign.

On Saturday, hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Harare to celebrate the impending downfall of Mugabe, accused by critics of retaining power through terror and election-rigging and of running a once-vibrant economy into the ground.

They expected him to resign within hours. Instead Mugabe dashed their hopes with a bizarre and rambling televised address on Sunday night in which he made no mention of his own fate.

Since last week, Mugabe has been confined to his lavish "Blue Roof" residence in Harare, apart from two trips to State House to meet the generals and one to a university graduation ceremony at which he appeared to fall asleep.

Gallo Images via Getty Images

Grace, known as "Gucci Grace" for her alleged fondness for extravagant shopping sprees, and at least two senior members of her "G40" political faction are believed to be holed up in the same compound.

Her stark reversal of fortune was underscored on Monday when the state-run Herald newspaper - which in August proclaimed her "A loving mother of the nation" - ran a piece headlined "Youth League slams 'uncultured' First Lady."

"Grace Mugabe lacked grooming and true motherhood as shown by her foul language," the paper quoted the ZANU-PF's youth wing as saying.

(Writing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

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