Opening.
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Oh, bother.
Seriously, what kind of fucking idiot picks fights with his own damn army? Especially in a country where most of your mandate comes from having the army on your side?
Disgusted, but not surprised
All I have to say is finally. Just before this thread was posted, actually, I read how he was planning to make his wife (awful person as well) the next president to continue his legacy. Now, hopefully, Zimbabwe can start the transition to a democracy.
Life is unfair...
Oh, bother.
You know things are bad in a country when a military coup is seen as a good thing.
Disgusted, but not surprised
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
We don't know yet if whoever follows Mugabe will be any better. Do we know anything about the guy who was sacked? The potential successor who's apparently close to the military?
edited 14th Nov '17 11:57:11 PM by DrunkenNordmann
Welcome to Estalia, gentlemen.
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
I mean hell, didn't Mugabe replace a white guy who led a racist regime back when Zimbabwe was still called Rhodesia? I'm all for that monster finally being deposed but this may well wind up being a double edged sword if the new guy is just as much of a depraved criminal.
Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Oh, bother.
I mean it's not impossible that a military coup leads to a restoration of democracy — it's apparently happened a few times — but I'm also a tad wary about how this will turn out.
The military btw, is trying to claim this is not a coup, even though it totally is.
Disgusted, but not surprised
betaalpha
Both Grace Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa represent a continuation of the old regime and the old policies after Mugabe dies, so neither are likely to be any better. My hope is that this mess will weaken the governing party enough that the opposition will finally get in.
Interesting that the old dinosaur himself has said nothing so far. I assume his sole objective is to remain in power so he's not going to back his own wife too strongly in case she grabs the throne off him.
Zimbabwe military's statement after seizing power
edited 15th Nov '17 12:21:39 AM by betaalpha
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Most embassies are warning their nationals and staff members to get out of the streets if possible.
The military insist that they're targeting the "criminals" in ZANU. IMO, it should include Grace.
Emmerson Mnangagwa was removed by Mugabe for making plans for a coup. Analysts suggested that Grace "suggested" it to Mugabe, seeing him as a potential obstacle.
edited 15th Nov '17 2:07:30 AM by Ominae
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
betaalpha
A pretty dead-on analysis from the BBC, imo:
"This is, fundamentally, an internal power struggle within Zanu-PF and whoever emerges victorious can expect a newly purged party to fall, obediently, into line.
Mr Mugabe's mistake, at 93, was to assume he was still powerful enough to build a dynasty to back his wife, Grace, to succeed him.
Instead, his once loyal deputy, Emerson Mnangagwa, may be poised to take control. If so, many foreign governments are likely to give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he can rescue Zimbabwe from years of misrule."
Except I'm not sure Mugabe even wants a dynasty to replace him. He wants to rule forever, or at least until his dying breath. Otherwise he could have handed power to Grace years ago. Afaik he never even appointed her his successor upon death.
edited 15th Nov '17 4:41:03 AM by betaalpha
What I don't get is that he tried the Chief's Favourite Wife card. That hasn't worked in over 300 years.
Seriously — the done thing these days is to groom the husband of either your youngest sister or one of your daughters/ granddaughters.
edited 15th Nov '17 5:11:24 AM by Euodiachloris
Yeah, I'm not seeing this leading to democratic reform. Not without a lot of outside pressure. Bad as Mugabe is, it doesn't sound like any of those moving against him are notably better.
Turns out Zimbabwean army commander Gen. Constantino Chiwenga visited Beijing a week before. Significance? No idea, but it will be interesting to see what China does going forward.
betaalpha
Wikipedia at least have made a decision whether it's a coup or not :)
I found no sign of protests against the coup on the Internet, nor condemnations or opposition to it, inside or outside the country, even from allies of Mugabe. Presumably all the Mugabe loyalists are laying low and hoping they won't be purged, or they've fled or been arrested.
Here's my guesses about what happens next. Mugabe will de jure remain president until the 2018 elections (assuming they're not cancelled out of fear that Zanu-PF would lose even a rigged match), but neither he nor Grace will have any real power. The Presidency will become a ceremonial position, and Mugabe, who will stop appearing in public and will only issue pre-recorded speeches (if any at all), will hold it until his death. Grace will either be exiled, go into virtual house arrest along with her husband, or quietly negotiate freedom and a limited political role in exchange for declaring support for the country's de facto leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Better than a civil war, but actual democracy will still be a dream for now.
edited 15th Nov '17 2:11:35 PM by betaalpha
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-41981388
Signs that a coup is likely to happen.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Emmerson Mnangagwa: The 'crocodile' who snapped back
And Mr Mugabe has been almost toying with his emotions - one day promoting him to senior positions in both the ruling Zanu-PF party and the government, raising speculation that Mr Mnangagwa was the "heir apparent", but later demoting him after he possibly displayed his ambitions a bit too openly.
But after his latest sacking, it looks as though the patience of the man known as "the crocodile" has finally snapped.
After the president dismissed him and publicly accused him of "treachery", his supporters in the security forces where he made his name intervened on his behalf.
He helped direct Zimbabwe's 1970s war of independence and later became the country's spymaster during the 1980s civil conflict, in which thousands of civilians were killed.
He has denied any role in the massacres, blaming the army.
But anyone hoping that a Mnangagwa presidency would see an end to human rights abuses in Zimbabwe could be mistaken. His critics say the 71-year-old has blood on his hands.
He is known as "the crocodile" because of his political shrewdness, and his faction in Zanu-PF is therefore known as "Lacoste".
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
Mugabe is seen recently in a university graduation and sources involved in the talks with the ZDF mentions that he doesn't want to step aside.
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
Mugabe was allowed out of house arrest to speak at a University graduation, but now the military is backing (not just allowing, backing) a protest march calling for his resignation.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-42029524
Beware the Crazy Man.
ZANU-PF (Mugabe's political party) has voted to oust him from their membership.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...
Organized Canine Bureau Special Agent
The statement mentions that Mugabe is getting hypocritical after he became president...
"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"
betaalpha
Zimbabwe's ruling party sacks Robert Mugabe as leader.
The Zimbabweans clearly want change. So I really hope they'd don't let ZANU-PF do what I reckon they want to do - change absolutely nothing other than who is in charge.
Are you kidding? They are most certainly going to attempt "new leader, but same old tricks". How well or badly that will go will be seen in the medium and long terms.
But... note how all the neighbouring countries are desperate to ensure "same old", if only to prevent immediate collapse. It practically ensures no meaningful change in the foreseeable. Zimbabwe is stuck singing the butt monkey song, for now. <_<
edited 19th Nov '17 5:47:45 AM by Euodiachloris
There does seem to be a suspicion this was triggered by Mnangagwa, Mugabe's number two.
Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Oh, bother.
Yeah, it seems doubtful that a guy nicknamed "the crocodile" is going to bring about democratic reform.
Disgusted, but not surprised
So it looks like Robert Mugabe might be about to be deposed.
This comes on the heels of a purge that seems to have gone awry, with Mugabe feuding with his head of army. Now it looks like all his nonsense is finally about to come to roost.
Have to say I'm surprised. Expected the old bastard to kick it before being overthrown, Castro-like.
Final Fantasy, Foreign Policy, and Bollywood. Helluva combo, that...