Zimbabwe’s army commander, General Constantino Chiwenga has issued a stern warning for an immediate end to the ousting of members of the ruling Zanu-PF party.
General Chiwenga gave the warning during a news conference with 90 other senior army officers at the military headquarters in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.
In a move that is widely seen as a response to the dismissal of Zimbabwe’s Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa on November 6, 2017, by President Robert Mugabe, General Chiwenga cautioned that, “the current purging, which is clearly targeting members of the party with a liberation background, must stop forthwith.”
According to General Chiwenga, “the military will not hesitate to step in” if a stop is not put to “the current treacherous shenanigans”.
A former Minister of Defense and State Security, former Vice President Mnangagwa is reported to have several links with Zimbabwe’s military which could have influenced General Chiwenga’s statements.
Ahead of Zanu-PF’s congress in December to choose new leaders, Zimbabwe’s army commander also urged that members be given “equal opportunity to exercise their democratic rights.”
President Mugabe’s 52-year-old wife, Grace Mugabe is expected to be given the nod as Vice President during the congress next month.
Her appointment, according to reports will pave way for her to succeed her 93-year-old husband, Robert Mugabe – the world’s oldest serving president.
By: Godwin Kpade/beachfmonline.com/Ghana
