Home » Zimbabwe Crisis: Maimane Calls for Robert Mugabe to Step Down

Zimbabwe Crisis: Maimane Calls for Robert Mugabe to Step Down

South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has called for President Robert Mugabe to step down and allow for free and fair elections to be held immediately. In a press statement, released Wednesday morning, Maimane also took a swipe at former President Thabo Mbeki, blaming him for the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe. […]

By SAPeople
15-11-17 12:05
in News

South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has called for President Robert Mugabe to step down and allow for free and fair elections to be held immediately.

In a press statement, released Wednesday morning, Maimane also took a swipe at former President Thabo Mbeki, blaming him for the current state of affairs in Zimbabwe.

Maimane said the current instability in Zimbabwe must be a cause for concern for all African countries who stand for democracy on the continent.

According to reports, the Zimbabwean Defence Force has moved into the country’s capital, Harare, to “target criminals” aligned to President Robert Mugabe – the first signs, says Maimane, of what appears to be a military coup.

The BBC reports that Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo is one of those who has been arrested. The British broadcaster also claims the Zimbabwean army has taken over the national Zimbabwe broadcaster – ZBC.

President Robert Mugabe is allegedly safe “but reportedly being held” and according to some tweets he has negotiated for his wife Grace to leave the country.

The latest unrest – and challenge by the military – comes following Mugabe’s firing of Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week. It is now reported by IOL that Mnangagwe is poised to take over.

Maimane issued a “call for fresh elections to be held in Zimbabwe as soon as practically possible, and for Robert Mugabe to immediately resign as President of Zimbabwe.

“This will allow the people of Zimbabwe to choose a new direction for their country, and to free themselves from the tyrannical reign of Robert Mugabe and his ZANU-PF. True democracy is adhering to the will of the people, not the internal politics and arrangements of liberation movements.”

The DA leader also called on the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, to provide South Africa with an urgent briefing on the nature and extent of the crisis in Zimbabwe, including what action the SA government will take.

“South Africa cannot continue with its “quiet diplomacy” while the people of Zimbabwe suffer,” said Maimane. “We must engage with the goal of finding a solution which does not open the door for another dictator to take the reins.”

Maimane also blamed former President Thabo Mbeki for the current crisis, saying: “While the involvement of the military in politics is never to be celebrated, it must be noted that the original sin in the sad collapse of Zimbabwe was the South African government’s failure, under President Mbeki, to stand up for democracy and enforce the results of the 2008 election.

“Allowing Mr Mugabe to remain in office even after losing an election clearly sowed the seeds for what we are seeing today.”

Maimane said in his capacity as Chairperson of the Southern African Platform for Democratic Change (SAPDC), he has engaged with the opposition in Zimbabwe on a number of occasions, and believes the only way forward is for free and fair elections to be held as soon as possible.

He said: “History has taught us that failed liberation movements cannot and will not self-correct. The solution has to come from outside these movements.”

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