Zimbabwe Military Take Over: Mugabe Arrested, His Wife Flees To Namibia

Zimbabwe’s military says it has seized power to target “criminals” around President Robert Mugabe, who it said is “safe and sound” in custody with his wife.

The army said it was securing government offices and patrolling the capital’s streets, after a night of unrest which included a military takeover of the state broadcaster.

The action triggered speculation of a coup, but the military’s supporters praised it as a “bloodless correction”.

Wife of Robert Mugabe ‘has left the country’

Grace Mugabe, the wife of Zimbabwe’s president has reportedly left the country for neighbouring Namibia. Her husband Robert Mugabe is thought to be under house arrest in the southern African country’s capital, Harare. It is unclear how Ms Mugabe was able to make her escape. More follows…

The European Union has called for dialogue in Zimbabwe and a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

“The recent political developments in Zimbabwe, and their spillover, including in relation to the country’s security forces, are a matter of concern,” said a spokesman for the European Commission, the EU executive.

“We are following the situation closely and we want to underline that the fundamental rights of all citizens need to be respected and the constitutional order and democratic governance needs to be upheld,” he added in a statement.

“We call on all relevant players to move from confrontation to dialogue with the aim to a peaceful crisis resolution.”

President Robert Mugabe should be removed as the country’s leader, the secretary-general of Zimbabwe’s War Veterans Association has said.

Victor Matemadanda said the military takeover was for the good of Zimbabwe.

The British embassy in Harare has said it is following the developments very closely.

Simon Thomas, acting ambassador, confirmed the military are deployed at strategic locations around Harare.

Robert Mugabe ‘under arrest’

President Robert Mugabe is under house arrest after the military seized control of Zimbabwe, South African president Jacob Zuma has said. More follows…

“It’s very fluid and it’s hard to say exactly how this will turn out,” Mr Johnson said. “The most important point to make is that everybody wants to see a stable and successful Zimbabwe and I think we are really appealing for everybody to refrain from violence.”

Boris Johnson has said it is important everyone refrains from violence in Zimbabwe.

The foreign secretary said the situation is very fluid and it is hard to say how it will turn out.

He went on to he was monitoring the situation and that Britain wants to see a stable and successful Zimbabwe.

Mr Zuma said he spoke to President Mugabe earlier this morning, who indicated he was confined to his home but said he was fine.

South Africa’s President, Jacbo Zuma, is sending a special envoy to Zimbabwe to meet with President Robert Mugabe and the Zimbabwean army, Reuters reports.

Mr Zuma is doing this in his capacity as chair of the Southern African Development Community.

The Zimbabwean military is in charge of a paramilitary police support unit depot in Harare and has disarmed police officers there, an army source told Reuters.

“They are now in charge of all armoury, all gates and roads leading in or out of the camp. Arcturus Road [which leads to the camp] is closed and all Support Unit details with guns have been disarmed,” the source said.