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Updated at 12.45pm
THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS have flooded Zimbabwe’s streets demanding Robert Mugabe’s resignation in a movement organised by independence war veterans and backed by ruling party barons and the army.
The mass turnout came after an unprecedented week which saw the army’s top brass seizing power and putting Mugabe under house arrest in response to his sacking of Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
It was a stunning turnaround for Mugabe who has ruled Zimbabwe with an iron fist since 1980.
Veterans of the liberation war, who previously supported Mugabe, had called the gathering which saw marchers rallying in Highfield, a working-class suburb of Harare.
“This is the best day of my life. We are hoping for a new life after Mugabe,” said 38-year-old Sam Sechete who was marching at Highfield with a crutch.
A symbolic location, Highfield was where Mugabe gave his first speech after returning from exile in Mozambique ahead of independence in 1980.
Demonstrators, who began arriving around midnight, roared, whistled and danced, brandishing placards proclaiming: “Not coup but cool” and “Mugabe must go!”
Shortly after 10.30am Irish time, demonstrators began heading towards Mugabe’s opulent private residence, known as the Blue Roof.
In the second city Bulawayo, demonstrators sounded car horns, whistled and blew vuvuzelas as they gathered outside City Hall.
‘Today is independence’
Such an open display of disloyalty would have been unthinkable just a week ago as dissent was routinely crushed by security forces.
But in a statement released yesterday, the army said it fully supported the protests.
The majority of Zimbabweans have only known life under Mugabe’s rule which has been defined by violent suppression, economic collapse and international isolation.
“I went to university but here I am selling bananas to earn a living. If it wasn’t for Mugabe, I would be doing something else,” said street vendor Abel Kapodogo, 34.
There was an atmosphere of celebration among the crowds with protesters cheering the soldiers and stopping to shake their hands.
“Today is independence, we are suffering too much,” said 14-year-old marcher Grace Kazhanje.
This is our new independence day.
‘Mugabe cornered’
Emma Muchenje, a 37-year-old market worker, said she had skipped work to be at the march.
“This day took too long to come,” she told AFP.
By 11am, as many as 10,000 people were at the Highfield protest, AFP correspondents said.
A separate #ThisFlag march led by anti-Mugabe pastor Evan Mawarire was heading through Harare city centre towards the president’s office at State House.
Mugabe enraged many Zimbabweans when he failed to resign following talks with the army’s top brass on Thursday, with sources suggesting the veteran leader was “buying time” to negotiate a favourable end to his 37-year reign.
He appeared publicly for the first time yesterday at a pre-planned graduation ceremony in Harare, further stoking speculation about his talks with General Constantino Chiwenga, who led the military power grab.
Later yesterday, eight of the 10 regional branches of Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF took to state television to call for him to go – yet another a serious blow to the embattled leader.
“Thousands for Mugabe ‘final push’,” blared the front-page of the News Day Weekender while the Daily News lead with: “Mugabe cornered”.
‘It is finished’
“The game is up,” said Chris Mutsvangwa, chairman of the independence war veterans’ association which organised the Highfield protest.
“It’s done, it’s finished… The generals have done a fantastic job,” he said.
We want to restore our pride and (Saturday) is the day… we can finish the job which the army started.
Mawarire, the outspoken Mugabe critic who rose to prominence last year with his #ThisFlag protest movement against the president, called on Zimbabweans of all backgrounds to march with the war veterans.
In their Friday statement, Zimbabwe’s military chiefs said their operation to round up “criminals” in Mugabe’s government was ongoing.
Clashing with Grace
Their seizure of power appeared to be the climax of a dispute over who would succeed the veteran leader.
Before being pushed out, the vice president had clashed repeatedly with Mugabe’s wife Grace, 52.
Both had been seen as leading contenders to replace Mugabe but Mnangagwa had the tacit support of the armed forces, which viewed Grace — a political novice — with derision.
The international community including the African Union, Britain and the United States has called for Zimbabwe’s army to quickly relinquish power.
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The US better get there quick.
Zimbabwe is pretty rich in resources and there’s spoils aplenty for whoever can stick a ‘democracy’ flag in it first.
@alphanautica: Looks like China got there first..
@alphanautica: You should go there.
@Declan Hegarty: Maltesers
Robert should apply for asylum here, he could get a nice house in Tyrrelstown or Balbriggan, bring over some of his relatives, ride the trains, become as Irish as the rest of us, maybe join a political party.
@Barrys Tea: __ I think his relatives are already here, I was served by a Mugabe in a phone shop some years ago.
@Declan Hegarty: more importantly, can his Grandsons?
@Barrys Tea: He could sort out the farmers.
Mugabe should go and his wife along with him. The guy who wants to step into his shoes has been Mugabe’s hatchet man for many years, so a game of moving chairs is not going to democratise badly-ruled Zimbabwe. Nearby Zambia has had several changes at the top since independence in 1964, and especially since its first President Kenneth Kaunda was replaced after multiparty elections in 1992. African countries need to decide that no individual should be President for more than ten years. Tribal and regional identities are so strong that ‘tribal balancing’ (something that Kaunda practised in Zambia during his 27-year rule) needs to be enshrined in constitutions. Today in Kenya the majority Kikuyu party is not anxious to share power with the Luo party in the west of the country, with violence always a threat. The Matabele tribe in Western Zimbabwe constitute 30 per cent of the country’s population and their deputies need to be brought into government when Mugabe is replaced. A temporary coalition government would smooth the current changes a lot. I hope the army leaders encourage this.
@Garreth Byrne: Circulation crazy fake Media haven’t spun a white versus black angle yet.
@Tom Newnewman: The white farmers of Zimbabwe were a very important part of the food production sector in the country until Party bosses from the 1980s onwards encouraged camp followers to chase out the old African farm workers. Many cabinet ministers and their cronies got hold of the deserted farms (the whites fled, some of them resettling in nearby Zambia where the rule of law makes life more secure) and allowed food production to fall drastically. After 1992 in Zambia a few sympathetic white and Asian citizens were brought back into cabinet. I hope something similar can be done in a post-Mugabe Zimbabwe.
@Garreth Byrne: Sorry, the gangster policy of chasing old African farmhands from white farms began towards the end of the 1990s.
My question would be, why is there an Irish lad at the protest (top picture)? Don’t want another Halawa ordeal!
He’ll probably fall asleep as he’s leaving…..the man can’t stay awake for two minutes anymore. He is lucky he is not being strung up by the masses. He should go….and fall asleep out of office, for the sake of his people.
Your time is up Robert my old son.
@O’Brien Michael: Robbie’s Dad!!!?
The army messed up here. They went in to remove him from power and now he’s dictating to them again. They should of went the full hog
@tomas o beag: firing squad
Nothing about the march in Poland from the the journal.
Just hope democracy will cone and not just another Junta/dictatorship.
Free elections with economy and public services the issues are the answer.
93 years old Bob, jog on!
One Tyrant to be replaced by another Tyrant ,democracy in Africa
Call elections and have the UN to observe them now?
have your say