Just In: Zimbabwe’s Military Chief Warns President Mugabe

Zimbabwe’s army chief, General Constantino Chiwenga on Monday, November 13, warned President Robert Mugabe to end the purge in the country’s ruling Zanu-PF party or the military will step in, BBC reports.

Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe

The sack of President Robert Mugabe’s deputy continues to steer controversy.

Zimbabwe’s army chief, General Constantino Chiwenga sounded a notice of warning to the 93-year-old president to end the purge in the country’s ruling party.

This is coming week after Mugabe fired his deputy, Emmerson Mnangagwa, a move widely seen as meant to clear the path for his wife, Grace, as his likely successor.

It was gathered that Mnangagwa, a former defence minister, who was once seen as a possible president has since fled into exile.

The army chief in a news conference attended by 90 senior army officers that the removal of people who were involved in the independence struggle, like Mnangagwa, would not be tolerated.

Though he did not mention the president’s name, the warning is understood to be directed at the 93-year-old leader.

He said: “The current purging which is clearly targeting members of the party with a liberation background must stop forthwith.

“We must remind those behind the current treacherous shenanigans that when it comes to matters of protecting our revolution, the military will not hesitate to step in.”

Chiwenga added that the “squabbling” between politicians had led to “no meaningful development in the country for the past five years.”

In a previous report that the decision to fire Emmerson Mnangagwa followed claims of his alleged disloyalty, disrespect and deceit by Zimbabwe’s information minister, Simon Khaya Moyo.

With Mnangagwa now out of the way, Grace is likely to be Mugabe’s successor as president of the country. Mugabe, 93 years old, has ruled for 37 years with the country now running into economic stress and calls for him to relinquish power.