Zimbabwe calm but tense as Mugabe is urged to go peacefully

The military remains in the streets of the capital Harare as the mood is tense.

Regional officials are meeting to discuss the crisis as civil society groups and churches in Zimbabwe issue appeals for calm.

A joint statement by more than 100 civil society groups urged Mugabe, the world's oldest head of state, to step aside peacefully and asked the military to restore order quickly and respect the constitution.

Trade unions have urged workers to go about their business.

Earlier: Zimbabwe’s military is in control of the capital and the state broadcaster, while holding President Robert Mugabe and his wife under house arrest.

In what appeared to be a coup against the 93-year-old Mugabe - the world’s oldest head of state - the military was at pains to emphasise it had not staged a military takeover, but was instead starting a process to restore Zimbabwe’s democracy.

But opposition leader Tendai Biti says that’s simply not true, saying "This is a coup, there is no question about that."

He went on to say: "We must acknowledge the deep structure of underlying causes that would have led to the army to do what they are doing now."

The military appears to have brought an end to Mr Mugabe’s long, 37-year reign in what the army’s supporters praised as a "bloodless correction."

South Africa and other neighbouring countries were sending in leaders to negotiate with Mr Mugabe and the generals to encourage the transition.

Citizens in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare contributed to the feeling of a smooth transition by carrying on with their daily lives, walking past the army’s armoured personnel carriers to go to work and to shops.

Many who have never known any leader but Mr Mugabe waited in long lines at banks to draw limited amounts of cash, a result of this once-prosperous country’s plummeting economy.

Felix Tsanganyiso, who sells mobile airtime vouchers in Harare, said he was following the developments on WhatsApp.

He said: "But I am still in the dark about what is happening. So far so good. We are going about our business without harassment.

"My plea is that whoever takes over should sort out the economy. We are tired of living like this."

The series of whiplash events followed Mugabe’s firing last week of his deputy, which appeared to position the first lady, Grace Mugabe, to replace Emmerson Mnangagwa as one of the country’s two vice presidents at a party conference next month.

But the 52-year-old first lady is unpopular among many Zimbabweans for her lavish spending on mansions, cars and jewels.

Last month she went to court to sue a diamond dealer for not supplying her with a 100-carat diamond she said she had paid for.

Grace Mugabe has been known as the leader of the G40, a group of Cabinet ministers and officials in their 40s and 50s who are too young to have fought in Zimbabwe’s war to end white-minority rule in Rhodesia.

When Mr Mnangagwa was fired, the generals and war veterans felt they were being sidelined and took action to stop that, analysts say.

Mr Mnangagwa’s whereabouts were not clear yesterday. He fled the country last week, citing threats to himself and his family.

Critics of the government urged Mr Mugabe to go quietly. "The old man should be allowed to rest," former Zimbabwe finance minister and activist Tendai Biti told South African broadcaster eNCA.

In a televised address to the nation on Wednesday, Maj. Gen. Sibusiso Moyo said the army had "guaranteed" the safety of Mr and Mrs Mugabe, but added the military would target "criminals" around him, in an apparent reference to the first lady’s G40 group.

South African President Jacob Zuma said he was sending his ministers of defence and state security to Zimbabwe to meet with Mugabe and the military there. He said he hopes Zimbabwe’s army will respect the constitution and that the situation "is going to be controlled."

In Washington, the US State Department said the Trump administration was "concerned by recent actions undertaken by Zimbabwe’s military forces" and called on the country’s leaders to exercise restraint.

The United States "does not take sides in matters of internal Zimbabwean politics and does not condone military intervention in political processes", it said in a statement.

Who will rule Zimbabwe should become clearer in the coming days.

"There is a soft transition underway," said Zimbabwean analyst Alex Rusero.

"The whole idea is that the military has always been the chief broker" in Mr Mugabe’s ruling party, he said. "But there were attempts to sideline the military by G40 and (the military) are reasserting their position."

Mr Mnangagwa may well be installed as a transitional leader to return Zimbabwe to constitutional rule, Mr Rusero said.

Zimbabwe may enter a period of negotiation to get Mr Mugabe to step down voluntarily, said Piers Pigou, southern Africa consultant for the International Crisis Group, who also suggested Mr Mnangagwa may be an interim leader.

"Zimbabwe could have some kind of inclusive government and some kind of democratic process, possibly leading to elections," Pigou said.

"It’s clearly a coup d’etat, but typical of Zimbabwe, the military is trying to put a veneer of legality on the process... It is part of the theatre that Zimbabwe is so good at, to try to make things look orderly and democratic.

"South Africa and other neighbouring countries may be brought in to help put some lipstick on the pig."

AP