All things being equal, sacked Zimbabwean Vice Presudent, Emmerson Mnangagwa, will return to his homeland this Wednesday to be sworn in as President in a constitutional miasma, following Tuesday resignation of the world’s oldest and most educated President, Pa Robert Mugabe.
While many ponder over the political arrangement that returns Mnangagwa to finish off Mugabe’s term of office that ends next year, South Africa’s Jacob Zuma is landing in Harare today as part of the concluding parts of negotiations that will give soft landing to the grand old man of African politics who has, for good and bad, ruled the land for 37 years.
There are talks that before he resigned Tuesday, Mugabe got assurances of immunity from trial; and protection for himself and family members; but snippets of information from Harare did not say whether he would remain in Zimbabwe or go on exile.
But there was ecstatic jubilation in the country and elsewhere as his resignation letter was read in parliament, that was primed to begin his impeachment proceedings.
The intricate negotiations by Mugabe’s divided ZANU-PF party that led to his ouster will be tested sorely in the next few months when 75 years old Mnangagwa, who has shown interest in contesting for the plum office he will now occupy, runs the state.
Will he contest or not; and will the opposition remain confident of the situation on ground when fresh elections are called? Analysts still remain unsure.
