Zimbabwe: Mugabe, wife, top allies holed up in ‘Blue House’ compound

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, his wife Grace and two key figures from her G40 political faction are under house arrest at Mugabe’s “Blue House” compound in Harare and are insisting the 93-year-old finishes his presidential term, a source said.
The G40 figures are cabinet ministers Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasukuwere, who fled to the compound after their homes were attacked by troops in Tuesday night’s coup, the source, who said he had spoken to people inside the compound, said.
Mugabe is insisting he remains Zimbabwe’s only legitimate ruler, an intelligence source said on Thursday.
The source said Mugabe is resisting mediation by a Catholic priest to allow the 93-year-old former guerrilla a graceful exit after a military coup.
The priest, Fidelis Mukonori, is acting as a middle-man between Mugabe and the generals, who seized power on
Wednesday in a targeted operation against “criminals” in his entourage, a senior political source told Reuters.
The source could not provide details of the talks, which appear to be aimed at a smooth and bloodless transition
after the departure of Mugabe, who has led Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.
Mugabe, still seen by many Africans as a liberation hero, is reviled in the West as a despot whose disastrous
handling of the economy and willingness to resort to violence to maintain power destroyed one of Africa’s most
promising states.
Zimbabwean intelligence reports seen by Reuters suggest that former security chief Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was
ousted as vice-president this month, has been mapping out a post-Mugabe vision with the military and opposition
for more than a year.
Fuelling speculation that that plan might be rolling into action, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who has
been receiving cancer treatment in Britain and South Africa, returned to Harare late on Wednesday, his spokesman
said.
South Africa said Mugabe had told President Jacob Zuma by telephone on Wednesday that he was confined to his
home but was otherwise fine and the military said it was keeping him and his family, including wife Grace, safe.
Inspte of the lingering admiration for Mugabe, there is little public affection for 52-year-old Grace, a former
government typist who started having an affair with Mugabe in the early 1990s as his first wife, Sally, was
dying of cancer.
Dubbed “DisGrace” or “Gucci Grace” on account of her reputed love of shopping, she enjoyed a meteoric rise
through the ranks of Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF in the last two years, culminating in Mnangagwa’s removal a week
ago, a move seen as clearing the way for her to succeed her husband.
In contrast to the high political drama unfolding behind closed doors, the streets of the capital remained calm,
with people going about their daily business, albeit under the watch of soldiers on armored vehicles at
strategic locations.
Whatever the final outcome, the events could signal a once-in-a-generation change for the former British colony,
a regional breadbasket reduced to destitution by economic policies Mugabe’s critics have long blamed on him.

everal persons may have been feared dead at Abbatoir area of Agege outskirts of Lagos when a train derailed this morning. A cross section of holiday makers boarding the free train ride organized by the State government of Osun from Ido Terminus of the Railway corporation of Nigeria, Lagos State, going to their various destinations for celebrations of Eid-il-Kabir on Wednesday 30-08-2017 Lagos State police spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole who confirmed the incident noted that the train also rammed into a Trailer, injuring many and leaving unconfirmed number of victims feared dead. According to Famou- Cole who confirmed the incident in a telephone call, “We just got the information. Our policemen and those attached to the railway command are in control of the situation. I cannot confirm any death, but i can tell you that some persons were injured. ” We shall be able to furnish you with details later please.”

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/11/breaking-many-feared-dead-train-derails-agege/