HARARE: Embattled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe gave a rambling televised speech to his country Sunday but did not resign — despite an ultimatum from his own party that said it would move to impeach him if he did not step down by midday Monday.
Members of ZANU-PF, which Mugabe co-founded to usher his country into independence, voted the 93-year-old President out on Sunday and anointed Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president fired by Mugabe earlier this month, as new party leader.
In his address late Sunday night, Mugabe said he had met with the nation’s security force command before speaking to the nation, but vowed to stay in power.
Rumors were swirling before he spoke that Mugabe would resign the presidency.
While acknowledging the struggles and criticisms that led the nation’s security forces to seize power, and the pressure for him to resign, Mugabe said he will preside over the ZANU-PF congress in December.
“Today’s meeting with the command element has underscored the need for us to collectively start processes that return our nation to normalcy. So that all our people can go about their business unhindered, in an environment of perfect peace and security. ”
He also enumerated all the concerns raised by the nation’s security force and his own party, including the struggling Zimbabwean economy, and added they should be attended to with great urgency.
During his address, Mugabe was flanked by various uniformed members of the armed forces. While speaking, he shuffled his papers and at times seemed to lose his place, prompting him to apologize at the end.
“It was a long speech,” Mugabe said, before receiving tepid applause by those sitting next to him. Minutes later he stood up and shook hands with members of the armed forces.
Removing Mugabe as party leader does not dethrone him as Zimbabwe’s president, but it is a clear indication that if Parliament holds a vote on his future, they will have the numbers to impeach him.
