Zimbabweans flood streets as Mugabe’s future in balance

Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP |  Thousands of protesters flooded Zimbabwe’s streets demanding Robert Mugabe’s resignation on Saturday 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 had previously supported Mugabe, had called for the gathering which saw marchers rallying in Highfield, a working-class suburb of Harare, with another demonstration staged in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second city.

“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 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!”

– ‘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.

In a statement released on Friday, the army said it fully supported the protests.

“Today is independence, we are suffering too much,” said 14-year-old marcher Grace Kazhanje.

“This is our new independence day.”

#zimbabwe Tweets

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.

There was an atmosphere of celebration among the crowds with protesters cheering the soldiers and stopping to shake their hands.

By 0800 GMT, several thousand people were at the scene, AFP correspondents said, although buses bringing more demonstrators were continuing to arrive.

A separate #ThisFlag march led by anti-Mugabe pastor Evan Mawarire will head to State House in Harare while other rallies are to take place elsewhere around the country.