Coach Heath Streak said he was shocked after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) sacked him in a backroom clear-out in the wake of the team’s failure to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.

Streak has been widely praised for improving the results of the side during his 18 months in charge, and exits along with his technical team, while captain Graeme Cremer has also reportedly been axed.

"It is with great regret and shock that I was told by ZC that myself and my coaching team must resign by 3pm yesterday (Friday), failing which we would be fired," Streak said in a statement.

"I chose not to resign as I believe this to be degrading to our national players and my technical team. As a result, we have been dismissed with immediate effect."

ZC have had a clear-out of all backroom staff amid reports of financial difficulties, including batting coach Lance Klusener, Zimbabwe A coach Wayne James and Under-19 coach Stephen Mangongo, while convener of selectors Tatenda Taibu has also been axed.

"Thank you to my staff who worked tirelessly, often going for months unpaid and having had two pay-cuts during their tenure, but still had that unwavering professional commitment," Streak said.

"To Graeme and all the players, thank you for your patriotism and commitment to our Chevrons team. I wish you all the very best for the future. I am deeply saddened that my journey with you ends here. Hopefully our paths will meet again in future ..."

The undoubted highlight of Streak’s tenure was a 3-2 One-Day International series win in Sri Lanka last year, while his 32 matches in the format produced 12 wins and 17 losses.

But he was also left embarrassed by a innings defeat to South Africa inside two days at the end of 2017 in a day/night test in Port Elizabeth, while a three-run loss to the United Arab Emirates in the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe saw his side fail to reach the 10-team tournament finals in England and Wales.

Zimbabwe Cricket told Reuters that would release a statement on the matter later on Saturday.

He was sacked in the wake of the team’s failure to qualify for the 2019 World Cup

Coach Heath Streak said he was shocked after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) sacked him in a backroom clear-out in the wake of the team’s failure to qualify for the 2019 World Cup. Streak has been widely praised for improving the results of the side during his 18 months in charge, and exits along with his technical team, while captain Graeme Cremer has also reportedly been axed. "It is with great regret and shock that I was told by ZC that myself and my coaching team must resign by 3pm yesterday (Friday), failing which we would be fired," Streak said in a statement. "I chose not to resign as I believe this to be degrading to our national players and my technical team. As a result, we have been dismissed with immediate effect." ZC have had a clear-out of all backroom staff amid reports of financial difficulties, including batting coach Lance Klusener, Zimbabwe A coach Wayne James and Under-19 coach Stephen Mangongo, while convener of selectors Tatenda Taibu has also been axed. "Thank you to my staff who worked tirelessly, often going for months unpaid and having had two pay-cuts during their tenure, but still had that unwavering professional commitment," Streak said. "To Graeme and all the players, thank you for your patriotism and commitment to our Chevrons team. I wish you all the very best for the future. I am deeply saddened that my journey with you ends here. Hopefully our paths will meet again in future ..." The undoubted highlight of Streak’s tenure was a 3-2 One-Day International series win in Sri Lanka last year, while his 32 matches in the format produced 12 wins and 17 losses. But he was also left embarrassed by a innings defeat to South Africa inside two days at the end of 2017 in a day/night test in Port Elizabeth, while a three-run loss to the United Arab Emirates in the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe saw his side fail to reach the 10-team tournament finals in England and Wales. Zimbabwe Cricket told Reuters that would release a statement on the matter later on Saturday.

Streak shocked by sacking as Zimbabwe coach

The ICC World Cup Qualifiers has begun in Zimbabwe from the 4th of March. 10 teams will be fighting it out in this tournament to get the opportunity to feature in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 which will have 10 teams this time around instead of the usual 14. The top eight teams have already qualified for the World Cup and two teams from the Qualifiers will now join them.

With teams like West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland battling it out, there is a lot of interest this time in the World Cup Qualifiers. There will be an abundance of talent on display and it will be exciting to see some of them in action during the course of the tournament.&nbsp;

Let&rsquo;s have a look at some of the stars who can make an impact in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers this time.

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) 
This man needs no introduction. Afghanistan&rsquo;s star leg-spinner has single-handedly taken his country storming ahead in the last one year and is progressing superbly well with each game. The 19-year-old will be leading his team in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers and Afghanistan would be banking on this charismatic champion to bail them through. Rashid had recently leaped up the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Men&#39;s ODI Bowling Rankings after securing 86 wickets in 37 matches at an outstandingly low average of 13.26. His sharp turn and accuracy are sure to trouble several batsmen in the tournament.

Rovman Powell (West Indies) 
While his numbers might not be breathtaking, Rovman Powell of the West Indies does have some great talent. The 24-year-old all-rounder has a lot to offer and in the absence of their star player, Andre Russell, the onus will be on Powell to make this opportunity count. Powell has a strong bottom hand and a good hand-eye coordination and his explosive batting in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have won him a lot of fans. He is also a decent medium pacer and can bowl some valuable overs in the middle. The World Cup Qualifiers are a tricky proposition for the West Indies but Rovman Powell&rsquo;s all-rounding skills can come in real handy for them.

Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) 
Zimbabwe cricket has had to go through a lot of topsy-turvy times recently. But even in all their gloom, they found a bright ray of sunshine in the batting of Sikandar Raza. The exceptionally gifted batsman has played many a vital knock for his country in recent times and Zimbabwe will continue to look up to Raza to help them in this tournament. Raza&#39;s match-winning 92 from 74 balls against Afghanistan recently showed that he is in good form and the 24-year-old would be keen to exhibit his best in this vital tournament. One thing that might also favour Raza is that he would be playing at home, where he has struck 2 centuries and 6 half-centuries.

Paul Stirling (Ireland) 
He has been one of Ireland cricket&rsquo;s stalwarts over the years and will continue to remain their primary force in the World Cup Qualifiers. In fact, for Ireland to make it to the finals of the event, Paul Stirling, who has 3000-plus ODI runs in his kitty along with 6 centuries, would have to take the lead role. Stirling is an aggressive batsman and enjoys smiting the ball down the ground and loves to play the pull and the hook shots. He can produce a range of strokes and when inflow can be hard to stop. Stirling has been in good form of late and will be hoping to carry that form over in the tournament for the benefit of his team.

Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal) 
Even though he has not played an international game yet, Nepal&rsquo;s Sandeep Lamichhanehas become quite a sensation in his country. In the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions in January, Lamichhanehas became the first cricketer from Nepal to bag a contract from the league. The 17-year-old leg-spinner is tremendously talented and had first made news after taking a hat-trick in the 2016 U-19 World Cup. Lamichhanehas gets a good turn and has great control and accuracy to trouble batsmen. He has been in good form and was instrumental in Nepal&rsquo;s entry to the Qualifiers after taking a sensational 5-20 against Kenya earlier this month. The surfaces in Zimbabwe should aid him and it would be interesting to see how this gifted youngster operates in the tournament.

The stakes are quite high this time in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers. The next few weeks are bound to be full of high-octane action and a lot of thrill. It will be quite exciting to see these players in action and to see what kind of impact they eventually leave by the end of the tournament. Interesting days, thus, lie ahead for cricket fans.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

It will be quite exciting to see these players in action and to see what kind of impact they eventually leave by the end of the tournament.

The ICC World Cup Qualifiers has begun in Zimbabwe from the 4th of March. 10 teams will be fighting it out in this tournament to get the opportunity to feature in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 which will have 10 teams this time around instead of the usual 14. The top eight teams have already qualified for the World Cup and two teams from the Qualifiers will now join them. With teams like West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland battling it out, there is a lot of interest this time in the World Cup Qualifiers. There will be an abundance of talent on display and it will be exciting to see some of them in action during the course of the tournament. Let’s have a look at some of the stars who can make an impact in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers this time. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) This man needs no introduction. Afghanistan’s star leg-spinner has single-handedly taken his country storming ahead in the last one year and is progressing superbly well with each game. The 19-year-old will be leading his team in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers and Afghanistan would be banking on this charismatic champion to bail them through. Rashid had recently leaped up the top of the MRF Tyres ICC Men's ODI Bowling Rankings after securing 86 wickets in 37 matches at an outstandingly low average of 13.26. His sharp turn and accuracy are sure to trouble several batsmen in the tournament. Rovman Powell (West Indies) While his numbers might not be breathtaking, Rovman Powell of the West Indies does have some great talent. The 24-year-old all-rounder has a lot to offer and in the absence of their star player, Andre Russell, the onus will be on Powell to make this opportunity count. Powell has a strong bottom hand and a good hand-eye coordination and his explosive batting in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) have won him a lot of fans. He is also a decent medium pacer and can bowl some valuable overs in the middle. The World Cup Qualifiers are a tricky proposition for the West Indies but Rovman Powell’s all-rounding skills can come in real handy for them. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) Zimbabwe cricket has had to go through a lot of topsy-turvy times recently. But even in all their gloom, they found a bright ray of sunshine in the batting of Sikandar Raza. The exceptionally gifted batsman has played many a vital knock for his country in recent times and Zimbabwe will continue to look up to Raza to help them in this tournament. Raza's match-winning 92 from 74 balls against Afghanistan recently showed that he is in good form and the 24-year-old would be keen to exhibit his best in this vital tournament. One thing that might also favour Raza is that he would be playing at home, where he has struck 2 centuries and 6 half-centuries. Paul Stirling (Ireland) He has been one of Ireland cricket’s stalwarts over the years and will continue to remain their primary force in the World Cup Qualifiers. In fact, for Ireland to make it to the finals of the event, Paul Stirling, who has 3000-plus ODI runs in his kitty along with 6 centuries, would have to take the lead role. Stirling is an aggressive batsman and enjoys smiting the ball down the ground and loves to play the pull and the hook shots. He can produce a range of strokes and when inflow can be hard to stop. Stirling has been in good form of late and will be hoping to carry that form over in the tournament for the benefit of his team. Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal) Even though he has not played an international game yet, Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhanehas become quite a sensation in his country. In the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) auctions in January, Lamichhanehas became the first cricketer from Nepal to bag a contract from the league. The 17-year-old leg-spinner is tremendously talented and had first made news after taking a hat-trick in the 2016 U-19 World Cup. Lamichhanehas gets a good turn and has great control and accuracy to trouble batsmen. He has been in good form and was instrumental in Nepal’s entry to the Qualifiers after taking a sensational 5-20 against Kenya earlier this month. The surfaces in Zimbabwe should aid him and it would be interesting to see how this gifted youngster operates in the tournament. The stakes are quite high this time in the ICC World Cup Qualifiers. The next few weeks are bound to be full of high-octane action and a lot of thrill. It will be quite exciting to see these players in action and to see what kind of impact they eventually leave by the end of the tournament. Interesting days, thus, lie ahead for cricket fans. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: These cricket stars will sparkle at ICC World Cup Qualifiers

Tamim Iqbal smashed 84 as Bangladesh hit 320 and then inflicted further misery on Sri Lanka to claim their biggest win in one-day cricket on Friday.

Sri Lanka, under new coach Chandika Hathurusingha, were skittled out for 157 and the performance will set new alarm bells ringing after they lost to Zimbabwe in their previous match in the three-nation contest. 
But Bangladesh celebrated their victory.

&quot;If you look at (the) recent past, it is one of our best wins,&quot; said captain Mashrafe Mortaza.

&quot;I think Tamim could have got a hundred. Shakib also could have gone on.&quot;

The 28-year-old left hander Tamim plundered two sixes and seven fours as Bangladesh came within four runs of their record one-day score against Sri Lanka.

He was given strong support by Shakib Al Hasan who made 67, and took three for 47 to claim man of the match honours, and Mushfiqur Rahim on 62.

Tamim put on a scintillating 99 for the second wicket with Shakib before wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella successfully reviewed a not-out decision to end his 102-ball innings.

Sri Lanka, rebuilding under Hathurusingha after their worst year in international cricket, never posed a serious threat as they lost by 163 runs.

With captain Angelo Mathews missing due to injury, Thisara Perera hit the top score of 29 while wickets regularly tumbled at the other end. Hathurusingha saw his side collapse in 32.2 overs.

Perera, who took three for 60, was also his side&#39;s most effective bowler.

But nothing could stop Tamim, Shakib and Rahim setting up their side&#39;s triumph. Only some excellent bowling by Perera at the end of the Bangladesh innings prevented an even bigger defeat.

Bangladesh&#39;s win beat the 160-run victory made over West Indies in 2012. They defeated Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the first match of this tournament.

Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe in the next match on Sunday.&nbsp;

Sri Lanka, under new coach Chandika Hathurusingha, were skittled out for 157

Tamim Iqbal smashed 84 as Bangladesh hit 320 and then inflicted further misery on Sri Lanka to claim their biggest win in one-day cricket on Friday. Sri Lanka, under new coach Chandika Hathurusingha, were skittled out for 157 and the performance will set new alarm bells ringing after they lost to Zimbabwe in their previous match in the three-nation contest. But Bangladesh celebrated their victory. "If you look at (the) recent past, it is one of our best wins," said captain Mashrafe Mortaza. "I think Tamim could have got a hundred. Shakib also could have gone on." The 28-year-old left hander Tamim plundered two sixes and seven fours as Bangladesh came within four runs of their record one-day score against Sri Lanka. He was given strong support by Shakib Al Hasan who made 67, and took three for 47 to claim man of the match honours, and Mushfiqur Rahim on 62. Tamim put on a scintillating 99 for the second wicket with Shakib before wicketkeeper Niroshan Dickwella successfully reviewed a not-out decision to end his 102-ball innings. Sri Lanka, rebuilding under Hathurusingha after their worst year in international cricket, never posed a serious threat as they lost by 163 runs. With captain Angelo Mathews missing due to injury, Thisara Perera hit the top score of 29 while wickets regularly tumbled at the other end. Hathurusingha saw his side collapse in 32.2 overs. Perera, who took three for 60, was also his side's most effective bowler. But nothing could stop Tamim, Shakib and Rahim setting up their side's triumph. Only some excellent bowling by Perera at the end of the Bangladesh innings prevented an even bigger defeat. Bangladesh's win beat the 160-run victory made over West Indies in 2012. They defeated Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the first match of this tournament. Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe in the next match on Sunday.

Bangladesh thrash Sri Lanka for biggest one day win

Three-time champions India completed their Group B domination with a comprehensive 10-wicket win over an ill-equipped Zimbabwe in the ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand&#39;s Mount Maunganui on Friday.

India, who had already sealed a quarter final spot with back-to-back wins against Australia and Papua New Guinea in Group B, produced another professional performance to end the league stage unbeaten.

Such was their run in the group stage that they recorded two 10-wicket victories besides a 100-run rout of three-time champions Australia.

Zimbabwe batsmen seemed clueless against left-arm spinners Anukul Roy (4/20) and Abhishek Sharma (2/22) and folded up for 154 in 48.1 overs.

They were 110 for three at one stage but lost their last seven wickets for 44 runs.

The Rahul Dravid-coached Indian side chased down the small target with ridiculous ease as Harvik Desai (56 not out off 73) and Shubman Gill (90 not out off 59) took the team home in just 21.4 overs.

Captain Prithvi Shaw did not open, letting the other batsmen spend more time in the middle before the quarterfinals.

Desai, who was one of the two changes in the team alongside Riyag Parag, made the opportunity count with a solid century.

Gill, who has a first-class hundred to his name representing Punjab, was in devastating form smashing 14 fours and a six en route his second successive half century.

Gill fittingly hit the winning boundary, a straight drive for four.

Zimbabwe batsmen seemed clueless against left-arm spinners Anukul Roy.

Three-time champions India completed their Group B domination with a comprehensive 10-wicket win over an ill-equipped Zimbabwe in the ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand's Mount Maunganui on Friday. India, who had already sealed a quarter final spot with back-to-back wins against Australia and Papua New Guinea in Group B, produced another professional performance to end the league stage unbeaten. Such was their run in the group stage that they recorded two 10-wicket victories besides a 100-run rout of three-time champions Australia. Zimbabwe batsmen seemed clueless against left-arm spinners Anukul Roy (4/20) and Abhishek Sharma (2/22) and folded up for 154 in 48.1 overs. They were 110 for three at one stage but lost their last seven wickets for 44 runs. The Rahul Dravid-coached Indian side chased down the small target with ridiculous ease as Harvik Desai (56 not out off 73) and Shubman Gill (90 not out off 59) took the team home in just 21.4 overs. Captain Prithvi Shaw did not open, letting the other batsmen spend more time in the middle before the quarterfinals. Desai, who was one of the two changes in the team alongside Riyag Parag, made the opportunity count with a solid century. Gill, who has a first-class hundred to his name representing Punjab, was in devastating form smashing 14 fours and a six en route his second successive half century. Gill fittingly hit the winning boundary, a straight drive for four.

Under-19 World Cup: India beat Zimbabwe to top Group B

The first match of tri-nation ODI Series between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh is underway.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl.

Batting first, Zimbabwe couldn&#39;t score much and had to settle for 170 runs after being destroyed by the&nbsp;stunning spell of Bangladeshi bowlers.

Bangladesh created pressure by taking wickets at regular intervals&nbsp;and restricted the Zimbabwe team at a lower total.

Zimbabwe had a crashing start as they lost 2 wickets in the first over.

Shakib-al-Hasan was magnificent in his spell and took two early wickets of Solomon Mire and Craig Ervine.&nbsp;

Hamilton Masakadza fell prey to skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and lost his wicket after scoring 15 odd runs.

Brendan Taylor and Sikandar Raza tried scoring and created a partnership of 21 runs before Taylor lost his wicket to Mustafizur at 24.&nbsp;

Later, Raza defended his wicket and tried to push the run rate. He found a determined ally in Peter Moor and they both had put up a 50-run partnership.

Sikandar Raza was playing defensive but was run out by Shakib and Rahim. The rest of the team wrapped up quickly.

Bangladesh bowlers confounded Zimbabwe&#39;s batting order.

Sunzamul Islam got one wicket, Mustafizur Rahman got two wickets and Rubel Hossain marked a milestone of taking 100 wickets after blowing off the stumps of Tendai Chatara.

<div class="ui-state-default">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
WICKET! Rubel on a hat-trick! Zimbabwe are 167/9.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BANvZIM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BANvZIM</a> 
 
To Watch Tri-Nation ODI Series LIVE, Download the app from the links below and hit the LIVE Button. 
 
Android: <a href="https://t.co/gRrE3kJgYc">https://t.co/gRrE3kJgYc</a> 
iOS: <a href="https://t.co/FfYlStljof">https://t.co/FfYlStljof</a> 
 
Watch Live Streaming at <a href="https://t.co/rlvwX9LzlX">https://t.co/rlvwX9LzlX</a> <a href="https://t.co/InWY7J33MT">pic.twitter.com/InWY7J33MT</a>
&mdash; Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCBtigers/status/952830130807750656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Fall of wickets:

2-1 (Solomon Mire, 0.1), 2-2 (Craig Ervine, 0.3), 30-3 (Hamilton Masakadza, 7.6), 51-4 (Brendan Taylor, 16.4), 81-5 (Malcolm Waller, 25.4), 131-6 (Sikandar Raza, 39.1), 161-7 (Graeme Cremer, 45.3), 167-8 (Peter Moor, 47.3), 167-9 (Tendai Chatara, 47.4), 170-10 (Blessing Muzarabani, 48.6).

Zimbabwe set a target of 171 runs after Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl

The first match of tri-nation ODI Series between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh is underway. Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl. Batting first, Zimbabwe couldn't score much and had to settle for 170 runs after being destroyed by the stunning spell of Bangladeshi bowlers. Bangladesh created pressure by taking wickets at regular intervals and restricted the Zimbabwe team at a lower total. Zimbabwe had a crashing start as they lost 2 wickets in the first over. Shakib-al-Hasan was magnificent in his spell and took two early wickets of Solomon Mire and Craig Ervine. Hamilton Masakadza fell prey to skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and lost his wicket after scoring 15 odd runs. Brendan Taylor and Sikandar Raza tried scoring and created a partnership of 21 runs before Taylor lost his wicket to Mustafizur at 24. Later, Raza defended his wicket and tried to push the run rate. He found a determined ally in Peter Moor and they both had put up a 50-run partnership. Sikandar Raza was playing defensive but was run out by Shakib and Rahim. The rest of the team wrapped up quickly. Bangladesh bowlers confounded Zimbabwe's batting order. Sunzamul Islam got one wicket, Mustafizur Rahman got two wickets and Rubel Hossain marked a milestone of taking 100 wickets after blowing off the stumps of Tendai Chatara. WICKET! Rubel on a hat-trick! Zimbabwe are 167/9.#BANvZIM To Watch Tri-Nation ODI Series LIVE, Download the app from the links below and hit the LIVE Button. Android: https://t.co/gRrE3kJgYc iOS: https://t.co/FfYlStljof Watch Live Streaming at https://t.co/rlvwX9LzlX pic.twitter.com/InWY7J33MT — Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) January 15, 2018 × Fall of wickets: 2-1 (Solomon Mire, 0.1), 2-2 (Craig Ervine, 0.3), 30-3 (Hamilton Masakadza, 7.6), 51-4 (Brendan Taylor, 16.4), 81-5 (Malcolm Waller, 25.4), 131-6 (Sikandar Raza, 39.1), 161-7 (Graeme Cremer, 45.3), 167-8 (Peter Moor, 47.3), 167-9 (Tendai Chatara, 47.4), 170-10 (Blessing Muzarabani, 48.6).

Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe: Shakib Al Hasan outspins Zimbabwe

Opener Tamim Iqbal struck an unbeaten half-century to guide Bangladesh to an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the opening match of a tri-nation one-day international tournament in Dhaka on Monday.

Tamim scored 84 off 93 balls at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium as Bangladesh cruised to 171-2 in just 28.3 overs.

The hosts earlier dispatched Zimbabwe for 170 in 49 overs as left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan claimed 3-43.

Sikandar Raza top-scored for the visitors with 52 as well as taking 2-53.

Bangladesh never looked in trouble, with Shakib striking twice in the first over after skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and opted to bowl.

Mashrafe and Mustafizur Rahman quickly reduced Zimbabwe to 51 for four, before Raza provided some brief resistance to his dogged 99-ball innings.

Peter Moor supported Raza with 33 before Rubel Hossain (2-24) took two wickets off successive balls, fast-tracking Zimbabwe&rsquo;s collapse and becoming Bangladesh&#39;s fifth bowler to claim 100 ODI wickets.

Mustafizur, who claimed 2-29, produced an off-cutter to uproot Blessing Muzarabani&#39;s off-stump and end Zimbabwe&rsquo;s innings.

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Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in the opening match of ROCKET Tri-Nation ODI Series 2018.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BANvZIM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BANvZIM</a> <a href="https://t.co/OERqPlCZQV">pic.twitter.com/OERqPlCZQV</a>
&mdash; Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCBtigers/status/952878249972871169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Tamim, who hit eight fours and a six, lost his opening partner Anamul Haque early on for 19 but added 78 with Shakib (37) for the second wicket to set up the innings for Bangladesh.

Shakib -- who won the man of the match award -- said the win stood the hosts in good stead ahead of their match against Sri Lanka, the other team in the tri-nation series.

&quot;Keeping up momentum is very important. This win should give us some confidence before facing Sri Lanka, who I think will offer us a tough challenge,&quot; he said.

Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer blamed poor batting for their defeat.

&quot;It was not one of those wickets where you could score easily. We had a lot of soft dismissals in our batting line-up,&quot; he said.

Zimbabwe play Sri Lanka in their next match of the tournament at the same ground on Wednesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-shakib-al-hasan-outspins-zimbabwe-29582">Also</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/bangladesh-vs-zimbabwe-shakib-al-hasan-outspins-zimbabwe-29582"> see Zimbabwe&#39;s innings.</a>

&nbsp;

Zimbabwe had set a target of 171 runs after Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl

Opener Tamim Iqbal struck an unbeaten half-century to guide Bangladesh to an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the opening match of a tri-nation one-day international tournament in Dhaka on Monday. Tamim scored 84 off 93 balls at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium as Bangladesh cruised to 171-2 in just 28.3 overs. The hosts earlier dispatched Zimbabwe for 170 in 49 overs as left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan claimed 3-43. Sikandar Raza top-scored for the visitors with 52 as well as taking 2-53. Bangladesh never looked in trouble, with Shakib striking twice in the first over after skipper Mashrafe Mortaza won the toss and opted to bowl. Mashrafe and Mustafizur Rahman quickly reduced Zimbabwe to 51 for four, before Raza provided some brief resistance to his dogged 99-ball innings. Peter Moor supported Raza with 33 before Rubel Hossain (2-24) took two wickets off successive balls, fast-tracking Zimbabwe’s collapse and becoming Bangladesh's fifth bowler to claim 100 ODI wickets. Mustafizur, who claimed 2-29, produced an off-cutter to uproot Blessing Muzarabani's off-stump and end Zimbabwe’s innings. Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 8 wickets in the opening match of ROCKET Tri-Nation ODI Series 2018.#BANvZIM pic.twitter.com/OERqPlCZQV — Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) January 15, 2018 × Tamim, who hit eight fours and a six, lost his opening partner Anamul Haque early on for 19 but added 78 with Shakib (37) for the second wicket to set up the innings for Bangladesh. Shakib -- who won the man of the match award -- said the win stood the hosts in good stead ahead of their match against Sri Lanka, the other team in the tri-nation series. "Keeping up momentum is very important. This win should give us some confidence before facing Sri Lanka, who I think will offer us a tough challenge," he said. Zimbabwe captain Graeme Cremer blamed poor batting for their defeat. "It was not one of those wickets where you could score easily. We had a lot of soft dismissals in our batting line-up," he said. Zimbabwe play Sri Lanka in their next match of the tournament at the same ground on Wednesday. Also see Zimbabwe's innings.

Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan inspire Bangladesh to victory over Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe&#39;s former president Robert Mugabe was ousted by a &quot;military coup&quot; that forced his resignation, former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo said in an interview with the BBC broadcast on Thursday.&nbsp;

Moyo, a former higher education minister under the last president and an ardent Mugabe loyalist, said Zimbabwe`s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa stole power and was leading an &quot;illegal regime&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;Mnangagwa and (Vice President Constantino) Chiwenga, they know only too well that they have come into power via the bullet and not the ballot,&quot; Moyo, who is in self-imposed exile, told the BBC`s Hard Talk programme.&nbsp;

It was unclear where he gave the interview.

&quot;We have a... constitution that the people of Zimbabwe made for themselves and it has been broken and it has been broken via a coup,&quot; he said.

&quot;The constitution of the country has been subverted and there has to be a return to constitutionalism.&quot;

Moyo said the army acted unconstitutionally when it briefly took power from the government in November.&nbsp;

&quot;The army deployed itself in Zimbabwe when the constitution says only the president can deploy it,&quot; he said.

The commanders involved in the campaign to seize power and ease Mugabe from power, which included then-general Chiwenga, insisted they were targeting criminals around Mugabe.&nbsp;

That was widely seen as a reference to Mugabe`s wife Grace and supporters of her apparent desire to succeed the 93-year-old statesman -- efforts that riled many in the military establishment.

Moyo also said that the new government under Mnangagwa was an &quot;illegal regime&quot; that had struggled to assert its legitimacy.

He pointed to Mnangagwa`s visit last week to ailing opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as evidence of the new president`s efforts to assert himself politically.&nbsp;

&quot;We know that when Mnangagwa and Chiwenga went to Morgan Tsvangirai`s house they pretended that they were concerned about his health but we know they wanted to negotiate with him to postpone elections for at least three years,&quot; he alleged.&nbsp;

&quot;They are afraid of elections. They do not want to have free and fair elections let alone credible elections.&quot;&nbsp; 
He accused Mnangagwa and Chiwenga of involvement in the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s that claimed the lives of around 20,000 regime opponents, including children and women, in the country`s southwest.&nbsp;

&quot;Right now the cabinet of the Republic of Zimbabwe is led by the most feared people in the history of this country. They are feared because they associated with every atrocity that has happened,&quot; he said.

Moyo said the army acted unconstitutionally when it briefly took power from the government in November

Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe was ousted by a "military coup" that forced his resignation, former cabinet minister Jonathan Moyo said in an interview with the BBC broadcast on Thursday. Moyo, a former higher education minister under the last president and an ardent Mugabe loyalist, said Zimbabwe`s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa stole power and was leading an "illegal regime". "Mnangagwa and (Vice President Constantino) Chiwenga, they know only too well that they have come into power via the bullet and not the ballot," Moyo, who is in self-imposed exile, told the BBC`s Hard Talk programme. It was unclear where he gave the interview. "We have a... constitution that the people of Zimbabwe made for themselves and it has been broken and it has been broken via a coup," he said. "The constitution of the country has been subverted and there has to be a return to constitutionalism." Moyo said the army acted unconstitutionally when it briefly took power from the government in November. "The army deployed itself in Zimbabwe when the constitution says only the president can deploy it," he said. The commanders involved in the campaign to seize power and ease Mugabe from power, which included then-general Chiwenga, insisted they were targeting criminals around Mugabe. That was widely seen as a reference to Mugabe`s wife Grace and supporters of her apparent desire to succeed the 93-year-old statesman -- efforts that riled many in the military establishment. Moyo also said that the new government under Mnangagwa was an "illegal regime" that had struggled to assert its legitimacy. He pointed to Mnangagwa`s visit last week to ailing opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai as evidence of the new president`s efforts to assert himself politically. "We know that when Mnangagwa and Chiwenga went to Morgan Tsvangirai`s house they pretended that they were concerned about his health but we know they wanted to negotiate with him to postpone elections for at least three years," he alleged. "They are afraid of elections. They do not want to have free and fair elections let alone credible elections." He accused Mnangagwa and Chiwenga of involvement in the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s that claimed the lives of around 20,000 regime opponents, including children and women, in the country`s southwest. "Right now the cabinet of the Republic of Zimbabwe is led by the most feared people in the history of this country. They are feared because they associated with every atrocity that has happened," he said.

Robert Mugabe ousted by 'military coup': Ex-minister

'Military coup' forced Robert Mugabe to resign: Ex-minister

Bangladesh will set up special courts at its cricket stadiums to try and convict any punters caught gambling during an upcoming international series, an official said today.

Gamblers caught during the tri-nation series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which will start on January 15 would be hauled from the stands and tried on the spot by judges in temporary courtrooms, a cricket board official said.

&quot;Betting will be treated as a public nuisance. Anyone found involved will be convicted and punished instantly in the stadium,&quot; Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told AFP.

The special courts will continue to target gamblers during Sri Lanka&#39;s tour of Bangladesh, which starts at the end of January after the tri-nation series.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will play two Test matches and two Twenty20 Internationals.

Gambling is illegal but rampant during cricket matches in Bangladesh, where punters exploit a brief delay between live play and the official broadcast of results to place frantic bets.

Authorities threw nearly 80 spectators out of matches for placing bets using their mobile phones during the latest edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament, which concluded last month.

At least a dozen of them were foreigners.

Police in November deported at least five Indians caught gambling during these short-format matches.

So-called &quot;mobile courts&quot; are popular in Bangladesh. In October, more than 200 people accused of abuses against Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh&#39;s southeast were jailed by special courts there.

&nbsp;

The special courts will target the tri-nation series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe and also Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh

Bangladesh will set up special courts at its cricket stadiums to try and convict any punters caught gambling during an upcoming international series, an official said today. Gamblers caught during the tri-nation series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which will start on January 15 would be hauled from the stands and tried on the spot by judges in temporary courtrooms, a cricket board official said. "Betting will be treated as a public nuisance. Anyone found involved will be convicted and punished instantly in the stadium," Bangladesh Cricket Board chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told AFP. The special courts will continue to target gamblers during Sri Lanka's tour of Bangladesh, which starts at the end of January after the tri-nation series. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will play two Test matches and two Twenty20 Internationals. Gambling is illegal but rampant during cricket matches in Bangladesh, where punters exploit a brief delay between live play and the official broadcast of results to place frantic bets. Authorities threw nearly 80 spectators out of matches for placing bets using their mobile phones during the latest edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 tournament, which concluded last month. At least a dozen of them were foreigners. Police in November deported at least five Indians caught gambling during these short-format matches. So-called "mobile courts" are popular in Bangladesh. In October, more than 200 people accused of abuses against Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's southeast were jailed by special courts there.

Bangladesh to introduce special courts in cricket stadiums to curb betting

News reports had earlier said that Zimbabwe bowling coach Makhaya Ntini had stepped down but the former South African pacer has now said that he was in fact asked to.

&quot;The honest truth is that I didn&#39;t resign,&quot; Ntini said.

&quot;I received a text message from the MD saying that he would like to talk to me. He reminded me that we had a chat about four months ago regarding some of the players&#39; unhappiness. Some of the players and the staff members went to see him and reported that they are not happy with the job I am doing and that the job that I was given was not meant for me,&quot; Ntini said.

&quot;None&nbsp;of the players&nbsp;came and confronted me if they were not happy,&quot; he added.

The controversy erupted just two days before the team was scheduled to travel to Bangladesh for a tri-nation series against&nbsp;Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) meanwhile said in an official statement that they &quot;reluctantly&quot; accepted Ntini&#39;s resignation and acknowledged his immense hard work.

ZC also confirmed that&nbsp;Heath Streak would be taking over as bowling coach.

&quot;Makhaya&#39;s experience and immense knowledge of the game have helped to bolster the ZC national team into a competitive outfit that went on to record Zimbabwe&#39;s first ever away one-day international series win over Sri Lanka in 2017,&quot; ZC said in their statement.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/ZimCricketv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZimCricketv</a> regrets to announce that Makhaya Ntini, the National Team Bowling Coach, has tendered his resignation, with immediate effect. And while reluctantly accepting his resignation, ZC fully appreciates and respects his decision, and wishes him all the best for the future. <a href="https://t.co/2VEnLYh7Ex">pic.twitter.com/2VEnLYh7Ex</a>
&mdash; Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZimCricketv/status/949904664467820545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Ntini had been coaching Zimbabwe since January 2016.

&nbsp;

'The honest truth is that I didn't resign,' Zimbabwe's bowling coach said

News reports had earlier said that Zimbabwe bowling coach Makhaya Ntini had stepped down but the former South African pacer has now said that he was in fact asked to. "The honest truth is that I didn't resign," Ntini said. "I received a text message from the MD saying that he would like to talk to me. He reminded me that we had a chat about four months ago regarding some of the players' unhappiness. Some of the players and the staff members went to see him and reported that they are not happy with the job I am doing and that the job that I was given was not meant for me," Ntini said. "None of the players came and confronted me if they were not happy," he added. The controversy erupted just two days before the team was scheduled to travel to Bangladesh for a tri-nation series against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) meanwhile said in an official statement that they "reluctantly" accepted Ntini's resignation and acknowledged his immense hard work. ZC also confirmed that Heath Streak would be taking over as bowling coach. "Makhaya's experience and immense knowledge of the game have helped to bolster the ZC national team into a competitive outfit that went on to record Zimbabwe's first ever away one-day international series win over Sri Lanka in 2017," ZC said in their statement. @ZimCricketv regrets to announce that Makhaya Ntini, the National Team Bowling Coach, has tendered his resignation, with immediate effect. And while reluctantly accepting his resignation, ZC fully appreciates and respects his decision, and wishes him all the best for the future. pic.twitter.com/2VEnLYh7Ex — Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) January 7, 2018 × Ntini had been coaching Zimbabwe since January 2016.

Didn't resign, was told to, says Makhaya Ntini

Zimbabwe&#39;s ousted president Robert Mugabe will get a residence, a car fleet and private air travel as part of a new government-funded retirement package for former leaders, state media reported today.

Mugabe will also be entitled to at least 20 staffers including six personal security guards, all paid for from state coffers, according to details of the benefits published in a media report.&nbsp;

The 93-year-old, who quit last month under popular pressure following a military takeover, is the first beneficiary of the generous measures unveiled Wednesday by new President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

No monetary details were spelt out, but the country&#39;s constitution stipulates that an ex-president is entitled to a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting president.

Local independent media reported last month that Mugabe was granted a $10-million (8.3-million euro) retirement bonus as part of a deal to persuade him to eventually resign. The government denied the claims.

As part of the new package, Mugabe will have three cars -- a Mercedes Benz S500 Series or an equivalent class of sedan, an all-terrain station wagon and a pickup van -- which will be replaced every five years.

The government will also pay for fuel.

Mugabe and his wife will be entitled to diplomatic passports. The couple can go on four first-class air or train trips within Zimbabwe and four trips abroad on a private plane.

Mugabe will also be awarded a fully-furnished official residence anywhere in the capital Harare, in addition to bills and entertainment allowances.

Health insurance for the former leader, his spouse and dependents are also included in the raft of benefits.

Mugabe resigned on November 21 after his party expelled him and parliament began proceedings to impeach him in the wake of a military intervention.

His 37-year tenure was marked by accusations of rights abuses, electoral fraud and economic ineptitude.

He was replaced by his long-time ally Mnangagwa, who had fallen out with Mugabe after the president sided with his 52- year-old wife Grace in a bitter feud.&nbsp;

Mugabe will also be entitled to at least 20 staffers including six personal security guards, all paid for from state coffers, according to details of the benefits published in a media report

Zimbabwe's ousted president Robert Mugabe will get a residence, a car fleet and private air travel as part of a new government-funded retirement package for former leaders, state media reported today. Mugabe will also be entitled to at least 20 staffers including six personal security guards, all paid for from state coffers, according to details of the benefits published in a media report. The 93-year-old, who quit last month under popular pressure following a military takeover, is the first beneficiary of the generous measures unveiled Wednesday by new President Emmerson Mnangagwa. No monetary details were spelt out, but the country's constitution stipulates that an ex-president is entitled to a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting president. Local independent media reported last month that Mugabe was granted a $10-million (8.3-million euro) retirement bonus as part of a deal to persuade him to eventually resign. The government denied the claims. As part of the new package, Mugabe will have three cars -- a Mercedes Benz S500 Series or an equivalent class of sedan, an all-terrain station wagon and a pickup van -- which will be replaced every five years. The government will also pay for fuel. Mugabe and his wife will be entitled to diplomatic passports. The couple can go on four first-class air or train trips within Zimbabwe and four trips abroad on a private plane. Mugabe will also be awarded a fully-furnished official residence anywhere in the capital Harare, in addition to bills and entertainment allowances. Health insurance for the former leader, his spouse and dependents are also included in the raft of benefits. Mugabe resigned on November 21 after his party expelled him and parliament began proceedings to impeach him in the wake of a military intervention. His 37-year tenure was marked by accusations of rights abuses, electoral fraud and economic ineptitude. He was replaced by his long-time ally Mnangagwa, who had fallen out with Mugabe after the president sided with his 52- year-old wife Grace in a bitter feud.

Zimbabwe unveils generous Mugabe retirement package

Zimbabwe was bowled out twice on Wednesday as South Africa swept to an easy victory by an innings and 120 runs as the inaugural four-day test finished inside two days at St George&#39;s Park.

Zimbabwe was dismissed for 68 runs in their first innings and then 121 in their follow-on in reply to South Africa&#39;s 309-9 declared.

The one-off test ended inside five sessions as the gulf in ability between the two neighbours was cruelly exposed.

Morne Morkel was the destroyer-in-chief in Zimbabwe&#39;s first innings with figures of 5-21, as nightwatchman Kyle Jarvis top scored with 23 off 50 balls. Debutant Ryan Burl, who added 16, was the only other Zimbabwean batsman to get to double figures.

Zimbabwe, who are bottom of the 10-team test rankings, started the second day reeling on 30-4 after being put into bat for the last hour of the first day of the first day-night test played in South Africa and struggled with the pink ball in unfamiliar conditions.

They did show some resistance at the start of their second innings but once their first wicket fell on 51, when Chamu Chibhabha was caught behind, there followed a steady procession of batsmen to the crease as Keshav Maharaj took 5-59 and Andile Phehlukwayo returned figures of 3-13.

All Zimbabwe&#39;s second innings wickets fell in a single session between the tea and dinner break. Craig Ervine was their top second innings scorer with 23 runs.

South Africa won the toss and batted first on Tuesday with Aiden Markram scoring 125 and AB de Villiers 53 on his return to the test arena after a hiatus of almost two years.

The four-day test is the first since the International Cricket Council tweaked regulations to give some of the weaker nations a more sporting chance, in the wake of Afghanistan and Ireland being granted test status.

The one-off game against Zimbabwe was also supposed to provide the home team with preparation for their three-test series against top ranked side India, which begins next week.

But it was much more of a one-sided contest than originally expected and will have provided neither side with any meaningful experience.

Zimbabwe was bowled out twice on Wednesday as South Africa swept to an easy victory by an innings and 120 runs

Zimbabwe was bowled out twice on Wednesday as South Africa swept to an easy victory by an innings and 120 runs as the inaugural four-day test finished inside two days at St George's Park. Zimbabwe was dismissed for 68 runs in their first innings and then 121 in their follow-on in reply to South Africa's 309-9 declared. The one-off test ended inside five sessions as the gulf in ability between the two neighbours was cruelly exposed. Morne Morkel was the destroyer-in-chief in Zimbabwe's first innings with figures of 5-21, as nightwatchman Kyle Jarvis top scored with 23 off 50 balls. Debutant Ryan Burl, who added 16, was the only other Zimbabwean batsman to get to double figures. Zimbabwe, who are bottom of the 10-team test rankings, started the second day reeling on 30-4 after being put into bat for the last hour of the first day of the first day-night test played in South Africa and struggled with the pink ball in unfamiliar conditions. They did show some resistance at the start of their second innings but once their first wicket fell on 51, when Chamu Chibhabha was caught behind, there followed a steady procession of batsmen to the crease as Keshav Maharaj took 5-59 and Andile Phehlukwayo returned figures of 3-13. All Zimbabwe's second innings wickets fell in a single session between the tea and dinner break. Craig Ervine was their top second innings scorer with 23 runs. South Africa won the toss and batted first on Tuesday with Aiden Markram scoring 125 and AB de Villiers 53 on his return to the test arena after a hiatus of almost two years. The four-day test is the first since the International Cricket Council tweaked regulations to give some of the weaker nations a more sporting chance, in the wake of Afghanistan and Ireland being granted test status. The one-off game against Zimbabwe was also supposed to provide the home team with preparation for their three-test series against top ranked side India, which begins next week. But it was much more of a one-sided contest than originally expected and will have provided neither side with any meaningful experience.

South Africa beat Zimbabwe by an innings and 120 runs

&quot;They beat him with a pole... and you could hear the bones breaking,&quot; said Debbie Turner, recounting her husband&#39;s murder in a slow, defiant voice.

She refuses to talk about him in the past tense and sleeps with a photo of him close by.

&quot;I miss him so terribly -- it&#39;s just so hard,&quot; she said, sitting in front of the frail-care unit that has been her home since the attack at their farm.

Robert &quot;Oki&quot; Turner, 66, was beaten to death before her eyes six months ago on their isolated stretch of mountain land in South Africa&#39;s northeastern Limpopo province.

He was one of the latest victims of a long campaign of violence against the country&#39;s farmers who are largely white.

The rural crime epidemic has inflamed political and racial tensions nearly a quarter-of-a-century after the fall of apartheid.

Farm murders are just one issue that reveals how South Africa is struggling with violence, an economic slowdown and divisions along race lines.

The Turners moved to the verdant region, half-way between Kruger national park and Zimbabwe, some 30 years ago.

On their property, which spans dozens of acres, they grew gum trees which they sold to craftsmen or for firewood.

&quot;Until about four or five years ago, we were very open. We didn&#39;t have a key for our house -- we would go away and nothing would have happened,&quot; she said.

But then the extreme violence that had long afflicted major cities engulfed rural areas like theirs.

Break-ins, hostage takings and killings became common -- with attackers often making off with just a few hundred rand (less than $20), a mobile phone or a hunting rifle.

The Turners were targeted after nightfall on June 14 when two armed men stormed their farm. Debbie was alone after her husband stepped out to fix a water tap.

- Savagely beaten -

&quot;They said &#39;we want money&#39;. I said I haven&#39;t got money,&quot; recounted Debbie.

&quot;They dragged me all over the house and put me under the shower and turned it on and left me for 15 minutes.

&quot;Then they decided to try to rape me. I said &#39;please don&#39;t rape me, I&#39;ve got HIV&#39;.&quot;

Sometime later, Oki was found slumped motionless covered in blood after being savagely beaten by the attackers searching for the key to the couple&#39;s safe.

He died in hospital a few hours later.

Dozens of white farmers are murdered in similar circumstances in South Africa every year.

In the absence of detailed statistics, the scope and scale of the crimes has become a battleground.

AfriForum, a pressure group that advocates on behalf of the country&#39;s nine-percent-strong white population, is one of the forces seeking to shape the debate around farm murders.

&quot;Farmers are living in remote areas, they are far from police stations,&quot; said the group&#39;s vice president, Ernst Roets.&nbsp;

&quot;There are political factors that play a role here. We are concerned about hate speech, political leaders who... would say for example &#39;the white farmers should be blamed for everything&#39;.&quot;

He is particularly damning of Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of South Africa&#39;s radical left, who has called on his followers to &quot;retake the land&quot; from whites.

In 2012 President Jacob Zuma sang a struggle-era song containing the words &quot;shoot the farmer, shoot the Boer&quot;.

Agriculture, like much of South Africa&#39;s economy, remains in the hands of the white descendants of colonial-era settlers.

White farmers control 73 percent of arable land in the country compared with 85 percent when apartheid ended in 1994, according to a recent study.

Calls for &quot;radical economic transformation&quot; to benefit the black majority have gained traction as unemployment has soared.

They are frequently coupled with accusations that the white minority control a disproportionate share of the nation&#39;s wealth.

- &#39;We built this country&#39; -

That narrative has alarmed many white rural communities.

&quot;We&#39;re being hunted,&quot; said Pauli, a 43-year-old farmer who declined to give her surname.

More militant white farmers describe the violence they face as &quot;genocide&quot; and use the casually racist rhetoric of the apartheid era.

&quot;They (black people) truly think that we have stolen the country from them,&quot; Limpopo-based farmer Gerhardus Harmse told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;We built this country, show me anything, any place that the blacks built -- there isn&#39;t any. They cannot build, they destroy.&quot;

The radical fringe has become increasingly vocal.&nbsp;

Last month, some supporters flew the flag of the old white-minority government during a protest against farm murders.

The demonstration called on the government to guarantee farmers special protection -- something that police minister Fikile Mbalula categorically refused.

&quot;All deaths of all South Africans must be met with disgust,&quot; wrote Mbalula in a Twitter post. &quot;My problem is that farm murders are racialised and politicised.&quot;

While black farmers have so far been largely reluctant to march with their white colleagues, they face many of the same risks.

&quot;We don&#39;t feel protected by the government,&quot; said Vuyo Mahlati, president of the African Farmers Association of South Africa.

&quot;We need to deal with everyone trying to utilise farming as a centre of a right-wing political discourse. That we are not going to allow.&quot;

- &#39;I will go back&#39; -

Feeling abandoned by the government, many white farmers have taken steps to protect themselves.

Some patrol their land under moonlight, pistols tucked into their belts, to deter would-be attackers.&nbsp;

Others undergo commando training in anticipation of the worst.

Among them is Marli Swanepoel, 37, who owns a farm in Limpopo.

&quot;You have to be prepared. You have to protect yourself,&quot; said the mother-of-three.

Hans Bergmann was recently assaulted on his farm, but takes a different approach.

Some weeks ago, armed men broke in to rob his safe, tied him up and shot him in the foot.

&quot;In South Africa everybody thinks farmers have a lot of money,&quot; he said.

Bergmann, who is in his sixties, declines to carry a gun or abandon his land.

&quot;I just accept it... where do I go from here if I leave the farm?&quot; he said.

Debbie Turner is scathing of the police who have yet to catch her husband&#39;s killers -- or even take a statement from her.

&quot;It shows that what happened that night doesn&#39;t mean anything to these people,&quot; she said.

&quot;I&#39;m angry against those people who killed my husband. Sometimes I wish they could hang them.&quot;

But she will not be leaving any time soon, vowing: &quot;One day I will go back to the mountain.&quot;

The rural crime epidemic has inflamed political and racial tensions nearly a quarter-of-a-century after the fall of apartheid

"They beat him with a pole... and you could hear the bones breaking," said Debbie Turner, recounting her husband's murder in a slow, defiant voice. She refuses to talk about him in the past tense and sleeps with a photo of him close by. "I miss him so terribly -- it's just so hard," she said, sitting in front of the frail-care unit that has been her home since the attack at their farm. Robert "Oki" Turner, 66, was beaten to death before her eyes six months ago on their isolated stretch of mountain land in South Africa's northeastern Limpopo province. He was one of the latest victims of a long campaign of violence against the country's farmers who are largely white. The rural crime epidemic has inflamed political and racial tensions nearly a quarter-of-a-century after the fall of apartheid. Farm murders are just one issue that reveals how South Africa is struggling with violence, an economic slowdown and divisions along race lines. The Turners moved to the verdant region, half-way between Kruger national park and Zimbabwe, some 30 years ago. On their property, which spans dozens of acres, they grew gum trees which they sold to craftsmen or for firewood. "Until about four or five years ago, we were very open. We didn't have a key for our house -- we would go away and nothing would have happened," she said. But then the extreme violence that had long afflicted major cities engulfed rural areas like theirs. Break-ins, hostage takings and killings became common -- with attackers often making off with just a few hundred rand (less than $20), a mobile phone or a hunting rifle. The Turners were targeted after nightfall on June 14 when two armed men stormed their farm. Debbie was alone after her husband stepped out to fix a water tap. - Savagely beaten - "They said 'we want money'. I said I haven't got money," recounted Debbie. "They dragged me all over the house and put me under the shower and turned it on and left me for 15 minutes. "Then they decided to try to rape me. I said 'please don't rape me, I've got HIV'." Sometime later, Oki was found slumped motionless covered in blood after being savagely beaten by the attackers searching for the key to the couple's safe. He died in hospital a few hours later. Dozens of white farmers are murdered in similar circumstances in South Africa every year. In the absence of detailed statistics, the scope and scale of the crimes has become a battleground. AfriForum, a pressure group that advocates on behalf of the country's nine-percent-strong white population, is one of the forces seeking to shape the debate around farm murders. "Farmers are living in remote areas, they are far from police stations," said the group's vice president, Ernst Roets. "There are political factors that play a role here. We are concerned about hate speech, political leaders who... would say for example 'the white farmers should be blamed for everything'." He is particularly damning of Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of South Africa's radical left, who has called on his followers to "retake the land" from whites. In 2012 President Jacob Zuma sang a struggle-era song containing the words "shoot the farmer, shoot the Boer". Agriculture, like much of South Africa's economy, remains in the hands of the white descendants of colonial-era settlers. White farmers control 73 percent of arable land in the country compared with 85 percent when apartheid ended in 1994, according to a recent study. Calls for "radical economic transformation" to benefit the black majority have gained traction as unemployment has soared. They are frequently coupled with accusations that the white minority control a disproportionate share of the nation's wealth. - 'We built this country' - That narrative has alarmed many white rural communities. "We're being hunted," said Pauli, a 43-year-old farmer who declined to give her surname. More militant white farmers describe the violence they face as "genocide" and use the casually racist rhetoric of the apartheid era. "They (black people) truly think that we have stolen the country from them," Limpopo-based farmer Gerhardus Harmse told AFP. "We built this country, show me anything, any place that the blacks built -- there isn't any. They cannot build, they destroy." The radical fringe has become increasingly vocal. Last month, some supporters flew the flag of the old white-minority government during a protest against farm murders. The demonstration called on the government to guarantee farmers special protection -- something that police minister Fikile Mbalula categorically refused. "All deaths of all South Africans must be met with disgust," wrote Mbalula in a Twitter post. "My problem is that farm murders are racialised and politicised." While black farmers have so far been largely reluctant to march with their white colleagues, they face many of the same risks. "We don't feel protected by the government," said Vuyo Mahlati, president of the African Farmers Association of South Africa. "We need to deal with everyone trying to utilise farming as a centre of a right-wing political discourse. That we are not going to allow." - 'I will go back' - Feeling abandoned by the government, many white farmers have taken steps to protect themselves. Some patrol their land under moonlight, pistols tucked into their belts, to deter would-be attackers. Others undergo commando training in anticipation of the worst. Among them is Marli Swanepoel, 37, who owns a farm in Limpopo. "You have to be prepared. You have to protect yourself," said the mother-of-three. Hans Bergmann was recently assaulted on his farm, but takes a different approach. Some weeks ago, armed men broke in to rob his safe, tied him up and shot him in the foot. "In South Africa everybody thinks farmers have a lot of money," he said. Bergmann, who is in his sixties, declines to carry a gun or abandon his land. "I just accept it... where do I go from here if I leave the farm?" he said. Debbie Turner is scathing of the police who have yet to catch her husband's killers -- or even take a statement from her. "It shows that what happened that night doesn't mean anything to these people," she said. "I'm angry against those people who killed my husband. Sometimes I wish they could hang them." But she will not be leaving any time soon, vowing: "One day I will go back to the mountain."

South Africa blighted by racially-charged farm murders

Zimbabwe&rsquo;s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday named the former army chief who led a coup that ended Robert Mugabe&#39;s 37-year rule, as one of his two deputies in the ruling party, the presidency said.

Presidential press secretary George Charamba said in a statement, retired general Constantino Chiwenga and long-serving state security minister Kembo Mohadi were appointed as Mnangagwa&rsquo;s deputies in the ZANU-PF party &ldquo;with immediate effect.&rdquo;

The party appointment is the first step in their elevation to state vice presidents. Two other top military officials were earlier this month awarded ministerial posts.

Chiwenga retired this week, slightly over a month after the military temporarily took control of the country on November 15 as internal feuding escalated in&nbsp; ZANU-PF over then-president Mugabe&rsquo;s succession.

The takeover which the army said was targeting Mugabe&rsquo;s corrupt allies came days after the 93-year-old leader had fired then deputy Mnangagwa who has strong military ties and was widely tipped as the likely successor.

Mugabe&#39;s wife Grace had indicated interest in succeeding her husband.

The army&rsquo;s intervention was followed by mass street protests against Mugabe and a motion to impeach the veteran ruler who resigned in a letter to parliament as proceedings to recall him began.

The ruling ZANU PF party then appointed Mnangagwa as Mugabe&rsquo;s replacement, leading to his inauguration as the country&#39;s president on November 24.

Zimbabwe?s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday named the former army chief who led a coup that ended Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, as one of his two deputies in the ruling party, the presidency said.

Zimbabwe’s new President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday named the former army chief who led a coup that ended Robert Mugabe's 37-year rule, as one of his two deputies in the ruling party, the presidency said. Presidential press secretary George Charamba said in a statement, retired general Constantino Chiwenga and long-serving state security minister Kembo Mohadi were appointed as Mnangagwa’s deputies in the ZANU-PF party “with immediate effect.” The party appointment is the first step in their elevation to state vice presidents. Two other top military officials were earlier this month awarded ministerial posts. Chiwenga retired this week, slightly over a month after the military temporarily took control of the country on November 15 as internal feuding escalated in ZANU-PF over then-president Mugabe’s succession. The takeover which the army said was targeting Mugabe’s corrupt allies came days after the 93-year-old leader had fired then deputy Mnangagwa who has strong military ties and was widely tipped as the likely successor. Mugabe's wife Grace had indicated interest in succeeding her husband. The army’s intervention was followed by mass street protests against Mugabe and a motion to impeach the veteran ruler who resigned in a letter to parliament as proceedings to recall him began. The ruling ZANU PF party then appointed Mnangagwa as Mugabe’s replacement, leading to his inauguration as the country's president on November 24.

Zimbabwe's ex-army chief named ruling party VP: Official

South Africa&#39;s top trio AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander have made their long-awaited return to the Proteas Test squad.

The players were named in the 14-man squad for next week`s day-night, four-day Test match against Zimbabwe. &nbsp;

The match which will be played at the St. George&rsquo;s Park, Port Elizabeth, from December 26 to 29, serves as a warm-up for three home tests against India in January. &nbsp;

De Villiers&#39; played his last test against England in January 2016, after which he asked for time out from the long format of the game.&nbsp;

While Steyn was recovering from a serious shoulder injury suffered against Australia at Perth, a year ago.

Philander is also back in the squad after suffering an injury on tour to England in mid-year.

Captain Faf du Plessis, who is in the final stages of recovery from a shoulder operation, has also been named. 
&nbsp; 
Recently against Bangladesh, South Africa used six batsmen, two allrounders, two seamers and a spinner. 
&nbsp;

The players were named in the 14-man squad for next week`s Test match against Zimbabwe

South Africa's top trio AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander have made their long-awaited return to the Proteas Test squad. The players were named in the 14-man squad for next week`s day-night, four-day Test match against Zimbabwe. The match which will be played at the St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, from December 26 to 29, serves as a warm-up for three home tests against India in January. De Villiers' played his last test against England in January 2016, after which he asked for time out from the long format of the game. While Steyn was recovering from a serious shoulder injury suffered against Australia at Perth, a year ago. Philander is also back in the squad after suffering an injury on tour to England in mid-year. Captain Faf du Plessis, who is in the final stages of recovery from a shoulder operation, has also been named. Recently against Bangladesh, South Africa used six batsmen, two allrounders, two seamers and a spinner.

AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn back in South Africa Test squad

Robert Mugabe&#39;s nephew said Sunday the ousted Zimbabwean president was in good health and &quot;quite jovial&quot; after being forced to resign when a military takeover ended his 37 years in power.

Leo Mugabe, however, declined to discuss the $10-million retirement bonus reportedly granted to the 93-year-old former president as part of a deal that finally persuaded him to resign on Tuesday.&nbsp;

&quot;He is fine. I have been to see him, he is quite jovial,&quot; the son of Mugabe&#39;s late sister Sabina told AFP.

&quot;He is actually looking forward to his new life -- farming and staying at the rural home. He has taken it well.&quot;

But he added that Mugabe&#39;s wife Grace was now concentrating on plans to build a university in his honor.

&quot;I like the spirit she has, she is with him all the time. She is an amazing person. She wants to continue planning the Robert Mugabe University so they have something to do,&quot; he said.

Zimbabwe announced plans in August to build the $1-billion post-graduate university in Mazowe, 35 kilometers (20 miles) outside Harare.

The plan drew fierce criticism as Mugabe is accused of brutal repression and bringing the country to economic ruin. (Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/the-inside-story-of-mugabes-downfall-25195">The inside story of Mugabe&#39;s downfall</a>)

$10-million deal 
In the exit negotiations, Mugabe was granted a $10-million lump sum, full immunity and allowed to keep his assets, according to the respected Zimbabwe Independent newspaper.

He will still be paid his full salary, in line with the constitution, while Grace Mugabe will reportedly receive half his pay after his death.&nbsp;

Asked about the deal, Mugabe&#39;s long-time spokesman George Charamba told AFP that &quot;the package of a retiring president will be defined (by) law&quot;.

He earlier said immunity had never been discussed during the talks between the president and the army chiefs who briefly put Mugabe under house arrest.

Grace Mugabe, 52, was alleged to have positioned herself to be Mugabe&#39;s chosen successor, prompting the military to intervene on November 14 and usher in its preferred candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Mnangagwa, a former close ally of Mugabe for decades, has vowed sweeping changes to revive the country&#39;s moribund economy.

In his inaugural address on Friday, Mnangagwa also paid tribute to Mugabe, describing him as one of the &quot;founding fathers of our nation&quot;.

Critics fear Mnangagwa -- who has been accused of overseeing violence and ethnic massacres -- could prove as authoritarian as his predecessor.

Calls for justice&nbsp; 
Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, exercising almost total authority to crush any sign of dissent during a reign characterised by brutality, rigged elections, and international isolation.

Until his rule ended Tuesday with a resignation letter sent to MPs who had gathered to impeach him, he was the world&#39;s oldest head of state.

Activist pastor Evan Mawaire called on Sunday for Mugabe to face justice, saying that further demonstrations could erupt if people believe there was no accountability for decades of state crimes.

&quot;A lot of people in this country have been wronged and oppressed, it is important they see justice playing out,&quot; Mawaire told AFP after preaching at his small church in Harare.

&quot;(If) he is not prosecuted that takes away a sense of closure. It is important for these criminals to be followed up to show the nation that the law catches up with them.&quot;

Mugabe made a defiant televised address last Sunday two days before he resigned, but he and his wife&#39;s current whereabouts are not known.

On Friday, a high court ruled that the military takeover was legal, raising concerns about the army&#39;s future influence and the rule of law under the new administration.

Leo Mugabe, however, declined to discuss the $10-million retirement bonus reportedly granted to the 93-year-old former president as part of a deal that finally persuaded him to resign on Tuesday

Robert Mugabe's nephew said Sunday the ousted Zimbabwean president was in good health and "quite jovial" after being forced to resign when a military takeover ended his 37 years in power. Leo Mugabe, however, declined to discuss the $10-million retirement bonus reportedly granted to the 93-year-old former president as part of a deal that finally persuaded him to resign on Tuesday. "He is fine. I have been to see him, he is quite jovial," the son of Mugabe's late sister Sabina told AFP. "He is actually looking forward to his new life -- farming and staying at the rural home. He has taken it well." But he added that Mugabe's wife Grace was now concentrating on plans to build a university in his honor. "I like the spirit she has, she is with him all the time. She is an amazing person. She wants to continue planning the Robert Mugabe University so they have something to do," he said. Zimbabwe announced plans in August to build the $1-billion post-graduate university in Mazowe, 35 kilometers (20 miles) outside Harare. The plan drew fierce criticism as Mugabe is accused of brutal repression and bringing the country to economic ruin. (Also Read: The inside story of Mugabe's downfall) $10-million deal In the exit negotiations, Mugabe was granted a $10-million lump sum, full immunity and allowed to keep his assets, according to the respected Zimbabwe Independent newspaper. He will still be paid his full salary, in line with the constitution, while Grace Mugabe will reportedly receive half his pay after his death. Asked about the deal, Mugabe's long-time spokesman George Charamba told AFP that "the package of a retiring president will be defined (by) law". He earlier said immunity had never been discussed during the talks between the president and the army chiefs who briefly put Mugabe under house arrest. Grace Mugabe, 52, was alleged to have positioned herself to be Mugabe's chosen successor, prompting the military to intervene on November 14 and usher in its preferred candidate Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa, a former close ally of Mugabe for decades, has vowed sweeping changes to revive the country's moribund economy. In his inaugural address on Friday, Mnangagwa also paid tribute to Mugabe, describing him as one of the "founding fathers of our nation". Critics fear Mnangagwa -- who has been accused of overseeing violence and ethnic massacres -- could prove as authoritarian as his predecessor. Calls for justice Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, exercising almost total authority to crush any sign of dissent during a reign characterised by brutality, rigged elections, and international isolation. Until his rule ended Tuesday with a resignation letter sent to MPs who had gathered to impeach him, he was the world's oldest head of state. Activist pastor Evan Mawaire called on Sunday for Mugabe to face justice, saying that further demonstrations could erupt if people believe there was no accountability for decades of state crimes. "A lot of people in this country have been wronged and oppressed, it is important they see justice playing out," Mawaire told AFP after preaching at his small church in Harare. "(If) he is not prosecuted that takes away a sense of closure. It is important for these criminals to be followed up to show the nation that the law catches up with them." Mugabe made a defiant televised address last Sunday two days before he resigned, but he and his wife's current whereabouts are not known. On Friday, a high court ruled that the military takeover was legal, raising concerns about the army's future influence and the rule of law under the new administration.

Nephew says Mugabe accepts ousting and is 'quite jovial'

A Zimbabwe High Court has ruled that the military takeover that led to Robert Mugabe&#39;s ousting was legal, raising immediate concerns about judicial independence under the country&#39;s new administration.

Army chiefs put military vehicles on the streets of Harare and placed veteran leader Mugabe, 93, under house arrest, before he resigned on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mugabe-granted-immunity-from-prosecution-assured-of-safety-in-zimbabwe-sources-24948">Many Zimbabweans celebrated the end of Mugabe&#39;s 37-year rule</a>, but fear the new government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa could also be an authoritarian regime.

&quot;Actions by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to stop the usurping of power by those close to former president Robert Mugabe are constitutional,&quot; state-run ZBC media on Saturday reported the court as saying.

In an apparent reference to Mugabe&#39;s wife Grace and her supporters, it said the court ruled Friday that the takeover was &quot;to ensure the non-elected individual do not exercise powers that can only be exercised by (those) elected&quot;.

Grace was alleged to have positioned herself to be Mugabe&#39;s chosen successor,&nbsp;prompting the military to intervene and usher in their preferred candidate Mnangagwa.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/end-of-mugabe-era-zimbabwes-mnangagwa-sworn-in-as-president-25022">Mnangagwa was sworn in on Friday, </a>vowing sweeping changes and seeking to attract foreign investment to revive the moribund economy.

He used his inauguration speech to pay tribute to the increasingly frail Mugabe, describing him as one of the &quot;founding fathers of our nation&quot;.

Alongside another court ruling that Mugabe&#39;s earlier sacking of Mnangagwa as vice president was illegal, Human Rights Watch questioned the courts&#39; independence.

&quot;Two incredible judgements,&quot; Dewa Mavhinga, southern African director of HRW, wrote on Twitter. &quot;Strange, captured judiciary?&quot;

A Zimbabwe High Court has ruled that the military takeover that led to Robert Mugabe's ousting was legal, raising immediate concerns about judicial independence under the country's new administration

A Zimbabwe High Court has ruled that the military takeover that led to Robert Mugabe's ousting was legal, raising immediate concerns about judicial independence under the country's new administration. Army chiefs put military vehicles on the streets of Harare and placed veteran leader Mugabe, 93, under house arrest, before he resigned on Tuesday. Many Zimbabweans celebrated the end of Mugabe's 37-year rule, but fear the new government under President Emmerson Mnangagwa could also be an authoritarian regime. "Actions by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to stop the usurping of power by those close to former president Robert Mugabe are constitutional," state-run ZBC media on Saturday reported the court as saying. In an apparent reference to Mugabe's wife Grace and her supporters, it said the court ruled Friday that the takeover was "to ensure the non-elected individual do not exercise powers that can only be exercised by (those) elected". Grace was alleged to have positioned herself to be Mugabe's chosen successor, prompting the military to intervene and usher in their preferred candidate Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa was sworn in on Friday, vowing sweeping changes and seeking to attract foreign investment to revive the moribund economy. He used his inauguration speech to pay tribute to the increasingly frail Mugabe, describing him as one of the "founding fathers of our nation". Alongside another court ruling that Mugabe's earlier sacking of Mnangagwa as vice president was illegal, Human Rights Watch questioned the courts' independence. "Two incredible judgements," Dewa Mavhinga, southern African director of HRW, wrote on Twitter. "Strange, captured judiciary?"

Zimbabwe court rules military takeover legal

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-to-swear-in-as-zimbabwean-new-president-on-friday-25007">Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn</a> in as the new president of Zimbabwe today bringing Robert Mugabe&#39;s era to an end as people celebrated on the streets.

Several thousand people <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/opinion-will-mnangagwa-usher-in-a-new-democracy-25011">thronged Harare&#39;s National Sports </a>Stadium to witness Mnangagwa&#39;s oath-taking ceremony.

&quot;I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as the president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and obey, uphold and defend the constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe,&quot; the new president&nbsp;said as he took the oath of office before the country&#39;s chief justice.

During his speech after being sworn in Emmerson Mnangagwa praised&nbsp;Robert Mugabe calling him&nbsp;&quot;the father of the nation&quot;.

&quot;Let me at this stage pay tribute to the&nbsp;only surviving, founding fathers of our nation, comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe,&quot;&nbsp;Mnangagwa said after being&nbsp;sworn-in as president.

&quot;Let us all accept and acknowledge his immense contribution to the building of our nation,&quot; Mnangagwa said.

The event took place under heavy security with snipers taking up positions within the stadium even as people celebrated.

Amid the celebrations, there were reports of Emmerson Mnangagwa having assured Mugabe &quot;maximum security&quot; ahead of his swearing-in ceremony.

&quot;Mnangagwa (Thursday) spoke to (the) outgoing President... and assured him and his family maximum security and welfare as he appraised him of preparations for (Friday&#39;s) inauguration,&quot; the state-run Herald news site reported.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Reports also said Mugabe will be granted immunity from prosecution.

The event took place under heavy security with snipers taking up positions within the stadium even as people celebrated.

Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in as the new president of Zimbabwe today bringing Robert Mugabe's era to an end as people celebrated on the streets. Several thousand people thronged Harare's National Sports Stadium to witness Mnangagwa's oath-taking ceremony. "I Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa swear that as the president of the republic of Zimbabwe I will be faithful to Zimbabwe and obey, uphold and defend the constitution and all other laws of Zimbabwe," the new president said as he took the oath of office before the country's chief justice. During his speech after being sworn in Emmerson Mnangagwa praised Robert Mugabe calling him "the father of the nation". "Let me at this stage pay tribute to the only surviving, founding fathers of our nation, comrade Robert Gabriel Mugabe," Mnangagwa said after being sworn-in as president. "Let us all accept and acknowledge his immense contribution to the building of our nation," Mnangagwa said. The event took place under heavy security with snipers taking up positions within the stadium even as people celebrated. Amid the celebrations, there were reports of Emmerson Mnangagwa having assured Mugabe "maximum security" ahead of his swearing-in ceremony. "Mnangagwa (Thursday) spoke to (the) outgoing President... and assured him and his family maximum security and welfare as he appraised him of preparations for (Friday's) inauguration," the state-run Herald news site reported. Reports also said Mugabe will be granted immunity from prosecution.

Mnangagwa sworn in as Zimbabwe president, praises 'father of the nation' Mugabe

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-zimbabwes-crocodile-to-snap-up-the-top-job-24852">Emmerson&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is&nbsp;sworn&nbsp;in as&nbsp;Zimbabwe&#39;s&nbsp;president</a>, bringing <a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/mugabe-era-ends-focus-now-shifts-to-ousted-vp-emmerson-mnangagwa-6882">the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe.</a>

Even though most&nbsp;Zimbabweans are jubilant at the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe&nbsp;from independence in 1980, the army&#39;s detention and rough treatment of pro-Mugabe ministers is worrying human rights groups.

Mugabe, the world&#39;s oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, a week after the army stepped in to seize power.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;assured Mugabe he and his family would be safe in&nbsp;Zimbabwe&nbsp;when the two men spoke for the first time since&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;returned home this week, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday.

They agreed that Mugabe may not attend&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/mnangagwa-to-swear-in-as-zimbabwean-new-president-on-friday-25007">Mnangagwa&#39;s swearing-in ceremony </a>because of fatigue, the paper added.

Mugabe&#39;s sudden fall had been triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted&nbsp;Mnangagwaagainst Mugabe&#39;s much younger wife Grace.

Just two weeks ago, she seemed to have the upper hand after Mugabe fired&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;on Nov. 6 as vice&nbsp;president&nbsp;for showing &quot;traits of disloyalty&quot;.

That prompted&nbsp;Mnangagwa, 75, long one of Mugabe&#39;s most trusted lieutenants, to flee the country in fear for his life. It also brought tanks into the streets.

&quot;Vengeful Retribution&quot;

Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night after his return,&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;saidZimbabwe&nbsp;was entering a new stage of democracy after what analysts are terming a &quot;soft coup&quot; against Mugabe.

&quot;The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,&quot; he told thousands of supporters.

However, there are growing signs that the military&#39;s intervention on the side of&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;is far from soft, with reports of harrassment of politicians loyal to Grace&#39;s G40 political faction.

Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo was admitted to hospital on Friday with injuries sustained from beatings he received during a week in military custody, his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said. Chombo was blindfolded throughout, he added.

&quot;It was a very brutal and draconian way of dealing with opponents,&quot; Madhuku told Reuters.

In the last 24 hours, rights groups said relatives of former pro-Mugabe ministers had also been harassed.

Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday.

Some&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;supporters have called for unspecified action against G40 and Grace, who was known as &quot;Gucci Grace&quot; for her reputed dedication to shopping, an affront to many in a country with an unemployment rate of 90 percent.

On Thursday,&nbsp;Mnangagwa&nbsp;urged&nbsp;Zimbabweans not to undertake &quot;vengeful retribution&quot;.

Bloodshed of&nbsp;1980S

Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for&nbsp;Mnangagwa, who carries his own baggage after decades of service to Mugabe, who was widely accused of resorting to human rights abuses and election-rigging.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;earned the nickname &quot;Ngwena&quot;, Shona for crocodile, an animal famed and feared in Zimbabwean lore for stealth and ruthlessness.

Mnangagwa&nbsp;backed Mugabe&#39;s economic nationalism, especially a drive to force foreign firms to hand majority stakes to local blacks, suggesting he may not be the pro-market pragmatist many investors have been hoping for.

Most controversially, he was in charge of internal security in the mid-1980s when Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade against rebels loyal to his rival Joshua Nkomo.

Rights groups say 20,000 civilians, mostly from the Ndebele tribe, were killed. Mugabe denies genocide or crimes against humanity but has admitted it was a &quot;moment of madness&quot;.

Mnangagwa&#39;s role remains shrouded in mystery.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic a&nbsp;Mnangagwapresidency would not &quot;mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime&quot;.

The Southern African Development Community said it was ready to work closely with Mnangagwa.

Zimbabwe&#39;s bourse, which had been on a rapid rise, lost $6 billion during this month&#39;s military intervention as its main index fell by 40 percent. Analysts say it will fall even further before recovering.

Emmerson?Mnangagwa?will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is?sworn?in as?Zimbabwe's?president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe

Emmerson Mnangagwa will cap a stunning political comeback on Friday when he is sworn in as Zimbabwe's president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe. Even though most Zimbabweans are jubilant at the exit of 93-year-old Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, the army's detention and rough treatment of pro-Mugabe ministers is worrying human rights groups. Mugabe, the world's oldest serving head of state, resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, a week after the army stepped in to seize power. Mnangagwa assured Mugabe he and his family would be safe in Zimbabwe when the two men spoke for the first time since Mnangagwa returned home this week, the state-owned The Herald newspaper reported on Friday. They agreed that Mugabe may not attend Mnangagwa's swearing-in ceremony because of fatigue, the paper added. Mugabe's sudden fall had been triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwaagainst Mugabe's much younger wife Grace. Just two weeks ago, she seemed to have the upper hand after Mugabe fired Mnangagwa on Nov. 6 as vice president for showing "traits of disloyalty". That prompted Mnangagwa, 75, long one of Mugabe's most trusted lieutenants, to flee the country in fear for his life. It also brought tanks into the streets. "Vengeful Retribution" Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night after his return, Mnangagwa saidZimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy after what analysts are terming a "soft coup" against Mugabe. "The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God," he told thousands of supporters. However, there are growing signs that the military's intervention on the side of Mnangagwa is far from soft, with reports of harrassment of politicians loyal to Grace's G40 political faction. Former finance minister Ignatius Chombo was admitted to hospital on Friday with injuries sustained from beatings he received during a week in military custody, his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku, said. Chombo was blindfolded throughout, he added. "It was a very brutal and draconian way of dealing with opponents," Madhuku told Reuters. In the last 24 hours, rights groups said relatives of former pro-Mugabe ministers had also been harassed. Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday. Some Mnangagwa supporters have called for unspecified action against G40 and Grace, who was known as "Gucci Grace" for her reputed dedication to shopping, an affront to many in a country with an unemployment rate of 90 percent. On Thursday, Mnangagwa urged Zimbabweans not to undertake "vengeful retribution". Bloodshed of 1980S Rebuilding a shattered economy and restoring investor confidence will be at the top of the agenda for Mnangagwa, who carries his own baggage after decades of service to Mugabe, who was widely accused of resorting to human rights abuses and election-rigging. Mnangagwa earned the nickname "Ngwena", Shona for crocodile, an animal famed and feared in Zimbabwean lore for stealth and ruthlessness. Mnangagwa backed Mugabe's economic nationalism, especially a drive to force foreign firms to hand majority stakes to local blacks, suggesting he may not be the pro-market pragmatist many investors have been hoping for. Most controversially, he was in charge of internal security in the mid-1980s when Mugabe deployed a crack North Korean-trained brigade against rebels loyal to his rival Joshua Nkomo. Rights groups say 20,000 civilians, mostly from the Ndebele tribe, were killed. Mugabe denies genocide or crimes against humanity but has admitted it was a "moment of madness". Mnangagwa's role remains shrouded in mystery. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic a Mnangagwapresidency would not "mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime". The Southern African Development Community said it was ready to work closely with Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe's bourse, which had been on a rapid rise, lost $6 billion during this month's military intervention as its main index fell by 40 percent. Analysts say it will fall even further before recovering.

Mnangagwa set to be sworn in as Zimbabwe president

Zimbabwe has a new leader. Robert Mugabe is out. His former ally turned rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is in. What now?

After ecstatic celebrations to mark Mugabe&rsquo;s resignation thoughts have begun to turn to what comes next. Mugabe may have exited the political scene, but it remains dominated by the same political party &ndash; Zanu-PF &ndash; that sustained his rule.

Moreover, the country&rsquo;s president-elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is hardly a breath of fresh air. Having held a series of cabinet positions under Mugabe, and served as First Vice President between December 2014 and his sacking in November 2017, he looks more like a force for continuity than change.

As a result, talk in Harare quickly turned to what kind of leader Mnangagwa will be, and the system of government that would best serve ordinary Zimbabweans.

The fork in the road

My conversations with people on the streets of the capital, Harare, about the political system the country needs suggests that two distinct camps are emerging: Those who want elections to be held as soon as possible, and those who say the polls should be postponed and a transitional government established.

Both of these options have genuine &ldquo;pros&rdquo; but also strong &ldquo;cons&rdquo;. As is so often the case, there is no perfect answer that solves all problems.

It is understandable that many Zimbabweans want a period of calm and orderly government after the twists and turns of recent weeks, and believe that it would be better to form an inclusive government that would feature representatives of all of the main political parties &ndash; a kind of power sharing in all but name.

Even though I have consistently argued in favour of the value of democracy and elections in Africa, I have to admit that the &ldquo;transitioners&rdquo; have some viable arguments.

The most obvious is that a period of stability and the more consensual government might facilitate much-needed reform of the economy and also the wider political and legal system. After all, rival parties are unlikely to come to an agreement on these issues if they are immediately thrust into an election campaign.

The &ldquo;transitioners&rdquo; also have a point when it comes to democracy. Few people in Zimbabwe believe that it&rsquo;s possible for elections to be free and fair if they are held between July and August next year, as currently scheduled. Given this, and the current divisions within the opposition, a rush to elections is likely to result in a convincing victory for Zanu-PF under problematic circumstances.

A transitional arrangement would allow for much needed electoral reforms to be put in place, creating the potential for a better quality process and a more consensual outcome later on.

Testing the Crocodile

But there is also another camp that wants to see Mnangagwa, popularly known as The Crocodile, to face an election as soon as possible.

Just like their counterparts in the &ldquo;transitioner&rdquo; camp, &ldquo;electioneers&rdquo;, have some strong arguments. Whatever one wants to call Mnangagwa&rsquo;s rise to power &ndash; from a coup to an internal party squabble &ndash; it is clear that it has not been a high-quality democratic transition. And while it is clear that the overthrow of Mugabe was hugely popular, we don&rsquo;t know if the same applies to a Mnangagwa presidency. An election would settle that question.

It would also give the new government a popular mandate to undertake economic reforms, whoever wins power. This could be important to the success of the reform project, because things are likely to get worse before they get better, and the country&rsquo;s economic medicine may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow.

Holding elections would also do one thing that postponing them will not; it will test the commitment of the new government to democratic norms and values from the get-go. One of the main reasons that Zimbabwean elections have been poor quality is that Zanu-PF and the military have intervened to make sure this was the case. As another friend put it, &ldquo;If they are really committed to doing the right thing, they can do it right away and the elections will not be too bad&rdquo;.

Learning from the past

&ldquo;Electioneers&rdquo; are also motivated by scepticism that an inclusive transitional government would get much done. Both Zimbabwe and Kenya have had power-sharing governments in the recent past, and while they both introduced new constitutions they also saw high levels of corruption and limited security sector reform. They also both led to elections that were denounced by opposition parties as being unfree and unfair.

It&rsquo;s fair to ask: why would it be different this time?

The question is particularly pertinent given the current composition of parliament. Because Morgan Tsvangirai&rsquo;s Movement for Democratic Change boycotted a series of by-elections on the basis that they would not be free and fair, it has lost many of the seats it won in 2013. As a result, any transitional arrangement that deferred elections and &ldquo;froze&rdquo; the current parliament for the next three years would have a big legislative advantage to Zanu-PF.

It is also important to keep in mind that economics cannot be divorced from politics: Zimbabwe&rsquo;s current economic difficulties stem precisely from an unaccountable political framework that ignored the interests of the people. Given that recent events have emboldened the military and given them an even stronger voice within government, this is a pressing concern.

Deferring electoral reforms in order to focus on economic recovery may, therefore, prove to be a self-defeating strategy.

Next steps

Ultimately, the form of government that evolves in Zimbabwe will not be a product of popular dialogue. One of the distinctive features of this process is that for the most part it has been conducted behind closed doors by a small elite.

Don&rsquo;t be fooled by the pictures of tens of thousands of people marching on Saturday &ndash; all sides have invoked popular support, but none have actually encouraged ordinary people to say what they want, or given them a seat at the table. This is a worrying sign if strengthening democracy is the long-term goal.

Recent public statements by the main parties at the time of going to press suggests that they are not converging on an interim administration, and so the &ldquo;electioneers&rdquo; may get their wish. That could still change because talks are ongoing and both sides would gain something from a delay. But if it doesn&rsquo;t the people will be able to have their say on how they want their country to be run.

Of course, voting will not actually equate to &ldquo;having a say&rdquo; unless the country&rsquo;s new leader follows through on his promise to build a &ldquo;new democracy&rdquo;, and the ruling party can kick the habit of a lifetime. Watch this space.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/will-mnangagwa-usher-in-a-new-democracy-the-view-from-zimbabwe-88023" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

After the fall of autocratic ruler Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe faces a difficult choice between the stability of a transnational government or a potentially divisive election contest.

Zimbabwe has a new leader. Robert Mugabe is out. His former ally turned rival, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is in. What now? After ecstatic celebrations to mark Mugabe’s resignation thoughts have begun to turn to what comes next. Mugabe may have exited the political scene, but it remains dominated by the same political party – Zanu-PF – that sustained his rule. Moreover, the country’s president-elect, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is hardly a breath of fresh air. Having held a series of cabinet positions under Mugabe, and served as First Vice President between December 2014 and his sacking in November 2017, he looks more like a force for continuity than change. As a result, talk in Harare quickly turned to what kind of leader Mnangagwa will be, and the system of government that would best serve ordinary Zimbabweans. The fork in the road My conversations with people on the streets of the capital, Harare, about the political system the country needs suggests that two distinct camps are emerging: Those who want elections to be held as soon as possible, and those who say the polls should be postponed and a transitional government established. Both of these options have genuine “pros” but also strong “cons”. As is so often the case, there is no perfect answer that solves all problems. It is understandable that many Zimbabweans want a period of calm and orderly government after the twists and turns of recent weeks, and believe that it would be better to form an inclusive government that would feature representatives of all of the main political parties – a kind of power sharing in all but name. Even though I have consistently argued in favour of the value of democracy and elections in Africa, I have to admit that the “transitioners” have some viable arguments. The most obvious is that a period of stability and the more consensual government might facilitate much-needed reform of the economy and also the wider political and legal system. After all, rival parties are unlikely to come to an agreement on these issues if they are immediately thrust into an election campaign. The “transitioners” also have a point when it comes to democracy. Few people in Zimbabwe believe that it’s possible for elections to be free and fair if they are held between July and August next year, as currently scheduled. Given this, and the current divisions within the opposition, a rush to elections is likely to result in a convincing victory for Zanu-PF under problematic circumstances. A transitional arrangement would allow for much needed electoral reforms to be put in place, creating the potential for a better quality process and a more consensual outcome later on. Testing the Crocodile But there is also another camp that wants to see Mnangagwa, popularly known as The Crocodile, to face an election as soon as possible. Just like their counterparts in the “transitioner” camp, “electioneers”, have some strong arguments. Whatever one wants to call Mnangagwa’s rise to power – from a coup to an internal party squabble – it is clear that it has not been a high-quality democratic transition. And while it is clear that the overthrow of Mugabe was hugely popular, we don’t know if the same applies to a Mnangagwa presidency. An election would settle that question. It would also give the new government a popular mandate to undertake economic reforms, whoever wins power. This could be important to the success of the reform project, because things are likely to get worse before they get better, and the country’s economic medicine may prove to be a bitter pill to swallow. Holding elections would also do one thing that postponing them will not; it will test the commitment of the new government to democratic norms and values from the get-go. One of the main reasons that Zimbabwean elections have been poor quality is that Zanu-PF and the military have intervened to make sure this was the case. As another friend put it, “If they are really committed to doing the right thing, they can do it right away and the elections will not be too bad”. Learning from the past “Electioneers” are also motivated by scepticism that an inclusive transitional government would get much done. Both Zimbabwe and Kenya have had power-sharing governments in the recent past, and while they both introduced new constitutions they also saw high levels of corruption and limited security sector reform. They also both led to elections that were denounced by opposition parties as being unfree and unfair. It’s fair to ask: why would it be different this time? The question is particularly pertinent given the current composition of parliament. Because Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change boycotted a series of by-elections on the basis that they would not be free and fair, it has lost many of the seats it won in 2013. As a result, any transitional arrangement that deferred elections and “froze” the current parliament for the next three years would have a big legislative advantage to Zanu-PF. It is also important to keep in mind that economics cannot be divorced from politics: Zimbabwe’s current economic difficulties stem precisely from an unaccountable political framework that ignored the interests of the people. Given that recent events have emboldened the military and given them an even stronger voice within government, this is a pressing concern. Deferring electoral reforms in order to focus on economic recovery may, therefore, prove to be a self-defeating strategy. Next steps Ultimately, the form of government that evolves in Zimbabwe will not be a product of popular dialogue. One of the distinctive features of this process is that for the most part it has been conducted behind closed doors by a small elite. Don’t be fooled by the pictures of tens of thousands of people marching on Saturday – all sides have invoked popular support, but none have actually encouraged ordinary people to say what they want, or given them a seat at the table. This is a worrying sign if strengthening democracy is the long-term goal. Recent public statements by the main parties at the time of going to press suggests that they are not converging on an interim administration, and so the “electioneers” may get their wish. That could still change because talks are ongoing and both sides would gain something from a delay. But if it doesn’t the people will be able to have their say on how they want their country to be run. Of course, voting will not actually equate to “having a say” unless the country’s new leader follows through on his promise to build a “new democracy”, and the ruling party can kick the habit of a lifetime. Watch this space. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity)

Opinion: Will Mnangagwa usher democracy in Zimbabwe?

Zimbabwe&#39;s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare.

He will finish off the remainder of the term of office of former president Robert Mugabe till next election in 2018.

Mnangagwa, who had been out of the country since he was fired by Mugabe on Nov. 6, returned to the country Wednesday evening after Mugabe resigned Tuesday following military and public pressure.

The swearing in of Mnangagwa comes after the ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday nominated him as president of the country.

In his first public address to supporters on Wednesday, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the people, saying all&nbsp;Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation.

Many&nbsp;Zimbabwean people expect that the new president could lead the country in developing the economy and creating more jobs.

Thousands of&nbsp;Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa are also waiting for guidance from the new leadership.

&quot;You know, if all the things are settled down, I think there&#39;s no need for us to stay here in South Africa. Because as you see, most&nbsp;Zimbabweans here in South Africa are not feeling comfort, you see. So if things are already good that side, there&#39;s no need for us to stay here,&quot; said Rowan KG Kome,&nbsp;Zimbabwean living in Beitbridge, Limpopo province of South Africa.

But they have not forgotten how Robert Mugabe once served their country.

&quot;I would like to thank him for what he did. He, first of all, is an old man. He worked very hard, when he was ruling that country. The only problem is that he was a tribalist. No one is one hundred percent (right). Everyone makes mistakes usually. The only wrong thing is that he was refusing to step down. He was sick and he&#39;s old,&quot; said Keifas Moyo, another&nbsp;Zimbabwean in South Africa.

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn in as the new president on Friday in the capital city of Harare. He will finish off the remainder of the term of office of former president Robert Mugabe till next election in 2018. Mnangagwa, who had been out of the country since he was fired by Mugabe on Nov. 6, returned to the country Wednesday evening after Mugabe resigned Tuesday following military and public pressure. The swearing in of Mnangagwa comes after the ruling ZANU-PF party on Wednesday nominated him as president of the country. In his first public address to supporters on Wednesday, Mnangagwa pledged to serve the people, saying all Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation. Many Zimbabwean people expect that the new president could lead the country in developing the economy and creating more jobs. Thousands of Zimbabweans living in neighboring South Africa are also waiting for guidance from the new leadership. "You know, if all the things are settled down, I think there's no need for us to stay here in South Africa. Because as you see, most Zimbabweans here in South Africa are not feeling comfort, you see. So if things are already good that side, there's no need for us to stay here," said Rowan KG Kome, Zimbabwean living in Beitbridge, Limpopo province of South Africa. But they have not forgotten how Robert Mugabe once served their country. "I would like to thank him for what he did. He, first of all, is an old man. He worked very hard, when he was ruling that country. The only problem is that he was a tribalist. No one is one hundred percent (right). Everyone makes mistakes usually. The only wrong thing is that he was refusing to step down. He was sick and he's old," said Keifas Moyo, another Zimbabwean in South Africa.

Mnangagwa poised to swear in as Zimbabwean new president today

Zimbabwe&#39;s former president Robert Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety would be protected in his home country as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday.

Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down on Tuesday after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president sacked by Mugabe earlier this month, is set to be sworn in as president on Friday.

A government source said Mugabe, who is 93, told negotiators he wanted to die in Zimbabwe and had no plans to live in exile.

&quot;It was very emotional for him and he was forceful about it,&quot; said the source, who is not authorised to speak on the details of the negotiated settlement.

&quot;For him it was very important that he be guaranteed security to stay in the country...although that will not stop him from travelling abroad when he wants to or has to,&quot; the source said.

Mugabe resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, sparking wild celebrations in the streets. His rapid downfall after 37 years in power was triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwa against Mugabe&#39;s much younger wife Grace.

&quot;The outgoing president is obviously aware of the public hostility to his wife, the anger in some circles about the manner in which she conducted herself and approached ZANU-PF party politics,&quot; a second source said.

&quot;In that regard, it became necessary to also assure him that his whole family, including the wife, would be safe and secure.&quot;

Mugabe had clung on to power for a week after the military intervened. He angered many Zimbabweans when he did not resign in a televised address on Sunday as many had anticipated.

The government source said the tipping point for him was the realisation that he would be impeached and ousted in an undignified way.

&quot;When the process started, he then realised he had lost the party,&quot; the source said.

Mugabe will receive a retirement package that includes a pension, housing, holiday and transport allowance, health insurance, limited air travel and security.

The ageing former president was &quot;rugged and drained&quot; by events of the past week and may travel to Singapore for medical checks in the coming weeks, the source said. He had been due to leave for Singapore in mid-November before the military put him under house arrest.

Mugabe has maintained that he leads a frugal life and that he does not possess any wealth or properties outside Zimbabwe.

But last month a legal quarrel between Grace and a Belgian-based businessman over a $1.3 million diamond ring lifted a veil on the wealthy lifestyle of Mugabe and his wife, nicknamed &quot;Gucci Grace&quot; for her reputed dedication to shopping.

In Zimbabwe, Mugabe runs a dairy business and the family has several farms while local and foreign media have reported that Grace has bought properties and luxury cars in South Africa.

Meet the new boss

Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night, new leader Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy.

Mnangagwa had returned to the country earlier in the day, having fled for his safety when Mugabe sacked him as vice president two weeks ago to smooth a path to the succession for Grace.

&quot;The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God,&quot; Mnangagwa told thousands of supporters gathered outside the ruling ZANU-PF party&#39;s offices in the capital.

The army appears to have engineered a trouble-free path to power for Mnangagwa, who was for decades a faithful lieutenant of Mugabe and member of his elite.

His own human rights record also stirs hostility in many Zimbabweans. He was in charge of internal security when rights groups say 20,000 civilians were killed in the 1980s.

Restoring the country&#39;s fortunes and international standing will be a challenge. Human rights abuses and flawed elections prompted many Western countries to impose sanctions in the early 2000s that further hurt the economy, even with Chinese investment to soften the blow.

Staging clean elections next year will be key to winning fresh funds.

In its first official comments since Mugabe resigned, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic that a Mnangagwa presidency would not &quot;mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime&quot;.

Zimbabwe was once one of Africa&#39;s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation.

Most of its 13 million people remain poor and face currency shortages and sky-high unemployment, something Mnangagwa promised to address.

A senior International Monetary Fund official said Zimbabwe&#39;s economic situation remained &quot;very difficult&quot; as sustainable growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms

&quot;Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support,&quot; Gene Leon, IMF&#39;s mission chief for Zimbabwe said.

Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down on Tuesday after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him.

Zimbabwe's former president Robert Mugabe was granted immunity from prosecution and assured that his safety would be protected in his home country as part of a deal that led to his resignation, sources close to the negotiations said on Thursday. Mugabe, who had led Zimbabwe from independence in 1980, stepped down on Tuesday after the army seized power and the ruling party turned against him. Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former vice president sacked by Mugabe earlier this month, is set to be sworn in as president on Friday. A government source said Mugabe, who is 93, told negotiators he wanted to die in Zimbabwe and had no plans to live in exile. "It was very emotional for him and he was forceful about it," said the source, who is not authorised to speak on the details of the negotiated settlement. "For him it was very important that he be guaranteed security to stay in the country...although that will not stop him from travelling abroad when he wants to or has to," the source said. Mugabe resigned on Tuesday as parliament began a process to impeach him, sparking wild celebrations in the streets. His rapid downfall after 37 years in power was triggered by a battle to succeed him that pitted Mnangagwa against Mugabe's much younger wife Grace. "The outgoing president is obviously aware of the public hostility to his wife, the anger in some circles about the manner in which she conducted herself and approached ZANU-PF party politics," a second source said. "In that regard, it became necessary to also assure him that his whole family, including the wife, would be safe and secure." Mugabe had clung on to power for a week after the military intervened. He angered many Zimbabweans when he did not resign in a televised address on Sunday as many had anticipated. The government source said the tipping point for him was the realisation that he would be impeached and ousted in an undignified way. "When the process started, he then realised he had lost the party," the source said. Mugabe will receive a retirement package that includes a pension, housing, holiday and transport allowance, health insurance, limited air travel and security. The ageing former president was "rugged and drained" by events of the past week and may travel to Singapore for medical checks in the coming weeks, the source said. He had been due to leave for Singapore in mid-November before the military put him under house arrest. Mugabe has maintained that he leads a frugal life and that he does not possess any wealth or properties outside Zimbabwe. But last month a legal quarrel between Grace and a Belgian-based businessman over a $1.3 million diamond ring lifted a veil on the wealthy lifestyle of Mugabe and his wife, nicknamed "Gucci Grace" for her reputed dedication to shopping. In Zimbabwe, Mugabe runs a dairy business and the family has several farms while local and foreign media have reported that Grace has bought properties and luxury cars in South Africa. Meet the new boss Addressing a cheering crowd in Harare on Wednesday night, new leader Mnangagwa said Zimbabwe was entering a new stage of democracy. Mnangagwa had returned to the country earlier in the day, having fled for his safety when Mugabe sacked him as vice president two weeks ago to smooth a path to the succession for Grace. "The people have spoken. The voice of the people is the voice of God," Mnangagwa told thousands of supporters gathered outside the ruling ZANU-PF party's offices in the capital. The army appears to have engineered a trouble-free path to power for Mnangagwa, who was for decades a faithful lieutenant of Mugabe and member of his elite. His own human rights record also stirs hostility in many Zimbabweans. He was in charge of internal security when rights groups say 20,000 civilians were killed in the 1980s. Restoring the country's fortunes and international standing will be a challenge. Human rights abuses and flawed elections prompted many Western countries to impose sanctions in the early 2000s that further hurt the economy, even with Chinese investment to soften the blow. Staging clean elections next year will be key to winning fresh funds. In its first official comments since Mugabe resigned, the opposition Movement for Democratic Change said it was cautiously optimistic that a Mnangagwa presidency would not "mimic and replicate the evil, corrupt, decadent and incompetent Mugabe regime". Zimbabwe was once one of Africa's most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation. Most of its 13 million people remain poor and face currency shortages and sky-high unemployment, something Mnangagwa promised to address. A senior International Monetary Fund official said Zimbabwe's economic situation remained "very difficult" as sustainable growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms "Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support," Gene Leon, IMF's mission chief for Zimbabwe said.

Mugabe granted immunity from prosecution, assured of safety in Zimbabwe: Sources

Zimbabwe&rsquo;s economic growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said.

Zimbabwe was once one of Africa&rsquo;s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as former President Robert Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation.

Mugabe, 93, resigned on Tuesday after nearly four decades in power following pressure from the military, the ruling ZANU-PF party, and the general population.

New ZANU-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in as Zimbabwe&rsquo;s president on Friday.

Zimbabwe has not been able to borrow from international lenders since 1999 when it started defaulting on its debt and has $1.75 billion rands in foreign arrears.

&ldquo;The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,&rdquo; Gene Leon, IMF&rsquo;s mission chief for Zimbabwe said in a statement to Reuters late on Wednesday.

&ldquo;Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support.&rdquo;

Leon said Zimbabwe should resolve arrears to the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank, among other reforms, for the IMF to consider future financing request from the country.

Zimbabwe should also be ready to implement strong macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to restore fiscal and debt sustainability, Leon said.

Zimbabwe was once one of Africa?s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as former President Robert Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation

Zimbabwe’s economic growth is threatened by high government spending, an untenable foreign exchange regime and inadequate reforms, a senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official said. Zimbabwe was once one of Africa’s most promising economies but suffered decades of decline as former President Robert Mugabe pursued policies that included the violent seizure of white-owned commercial farms and money-printing that led to hyperinflation. Mugabe, 93, resigned on Tuesday after nearly four decades in power following pressure from the military, the ruling ZANU-PF party, and the general population. New ZANU-PF leader Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to be sworn in as Zimbabwe’s president on Friday. Zimbabwe has not been able to borrow from international lenders since 1999 when it started defaulting on its debt and has $1.75 billion rands in foreign arrears. “The economic situation in Zimbabwe remains very difficult,” Gene Leon, IMF’s mission chief for Zimbabwe said in a statement to Reuters late on Wednesday. “Immediate action is critical to reduce the deficit to a sustainable level, accelerate structural reforms, and re-engage with the international community to access much needed financial support.” Leon said Zimbabwe should resolve arrears to the World Bank, African Development Bank, and the European Investment Bank, among other reforms, for the IMF to consider future financing request from the country. Zimbabwe should also be ready to implement strong macroeconomic policies and structural reforms to restore fiscal and debt sustainability, Leon said.

Zimbabwe's economic situation 'very difficult': IMF mission chief

Zimbabwe&#39;s incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday to take power after the shock resignation of Robert Mugabe brought 37 years of authoritarian rule to an end.

Mnangagwa, who has close ties to the army and the security establishment, returned to the country on Wednesday to take the reins and told adoring crowds in Harare that they were witnessing &quot;unfolding full democracy&quot;.&nbsp;

He will be sworn in as president at an inauguration ceremony on Friday, officials said.

The speech was his first since Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6 over a succession tussle with the former first lady, a move that prompted the military&#39;s intervention to force Mugabe from power, leading to his resignation on Tuesday.

&quot;Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new and unfolding full democracy in our country,&quot; he said in front of hundreds of supporters, some wearing shirts emblazoned with images of the 75-year-old leader.

&quot;We want to grow our economy, we want jobs... all patriotic Zimbabweans (should) come together, work together,&quot; he said.

He was surrounded by a large security detail and arrived at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF party in a presidential-style motorcade.

Two young men held a stuffed crocodile above their heads, a reference to Mnangagwas&#39;s nickname, earned for his reputation for stealth and ruthlessness.

&#39;All I want is job creation&#39;

He had flown in earlier to Harare&#39;s Manyame airbase from South Africa, and met key ZANU-PF officials before heading to the State House, the nerve centre of Zimbabwe&#39;s political establishment, for a briefing.

&quot;Great speech all round, can&#39;t describe how I felt seeing him after what he went through. All I want is job creation,&quot; said Remigio Mutero, 30, an unemployed IT graduate.

Mugabe&#39;s iron grip ended Tuesday in a shock announcement to parliament, where MPs had convened to impeach the 93-year-old leader who dominated every aspect of Zimbabwean public life for decades.

He had last been seen in public on Friday and had given a televised address on Sunday, but neither he nor his wife Grace have been seen since, with their whereabouts unknown.&nbsp;

On the streets, the news that his long and often brutal leadership was over sparked wild celebrations which lasted late into the night, with crowds dancing and cheering amid a cacophony of car horns.

Excited crowds

A former key Mugabe ally, Mnangagwa had fled the country after his dismissal, saying he would not return without guarantees for his safety.&nbsp;

His sacking was the result of an increasingly bitter succession battle with first lady Grace, who had been pushing to take over from her ageing husband. &nbsp;

But critics describe Mnangagwa as a ruthless hard-liner who was behind years of state-sponsored violence, warning that he could prove just as authoritarian as his mentor.&nbsp;

Rinaldo Depagne of the International Crisis Group said Mugabe&#39;s departure &quot;does not necessarily mean more democracy&quot;.

Mugabe&#39;s resignation capped a chaotic week in which the military seized control and tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets in an unprecedented show of dissent against Mugabe, who left behind an economy in ruins.

&quot;We hope to be able to access our money from the bank come December and the US dollar must come back,&quot; said Talent Chamunorwa, 37, a brick seller.

He was referring to Zimbabwe&#39;s chronic shortage of cash and a mistrusted scheme for &quot;bond notes&quot; whose value is supposed to be linked to the US currency, but which trade at a much lower rate in reality.

State-run newspaper The Herald said Zimbabweans would &quot;never again go back into a box of silence&quot;.

&quot;All future Zimbabwean leaders are going to have to be accustomed to plain speaking, to listening and then explaining what they are doing and why,&quot; it said in a comment piece Wednesday.

Grace was his undoing&nbsp;

Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe almost unopposed since independence, and eventually became the world&#39;s oldest serving head of state.

But efforts to position his 52-year-old wife Grace as his successor were his undoing.

Although Mugabe&#39;s fate remains unknown, the ZANU-PF has said he deserves to be treated with respect after leading the country for nearly four decades.

Last week&#39;s military takeover had all the hallmarks of a coup, but the generals stopped short of forcing Mugabe out, and Mnangagwa thanked army chief General Constantino Chiwenga during his speech on Wednesday.

As the crisis grew, the ZANU-PF, an instrument of Mugabe&#39;s brutal reign, removed him as party leader and began parliamentary proceedings to have him impeached.

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday to take power after the shock resignation of Robert Mugabe brought 37 years of authoritarian rule to an end

Zimbabwe's incoming president Emmerson Mnangagwa was preparing Thursday to take power after the shock resignation of Robert Mugabe brought 37 years of authoritarian rule to an end. Mnangagwa, who has close ties to the army and the security establishment, returned to the country on Wednesday to take the reins and told adoring crowds in Harare that they were witnessing "unfolding full democracy". He will be sworn in as president at an inauguration ceremony on Friday, officials said. The speech was his first since Mugabe fired him as vice president on November 6 over a succession tussle with the former first lady, a move that prompted the military's intervention to force Mugabe from power, leading to his resignation on Tuesday. "Today we are witnessing the beginning of a new and unfolding full democracy in our country," he said in front of hundreds of supporters, some wearing shirts emblazoned with images of the 75-year-old leader. "We want to grow our economy, we want jobs... all patriotic Zimbabweans (should) come together, work together," he said. He was surrounded by a large security detail and arrived at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF party in a presidential-style motorcade. Two young men held a stuffed crocodile above their heads, a reference to Mnangagwas's nickname, earned for his reputation for stealth and ruthlessness. 'All I want is job creation' He had flown in earlier to Harare's Manyame airbase from South Africa, and met key ZANU-PF officials before heading to the State House, the nerve centre of Zimbabwe's political establishment, for a briefing. "Great speech all round, can't describe how I felt seeing him after what he went through. All I want is job creation," said Remigio Mutero, 30, an unemployed IT graduate. Mugabe's iron grip ended Tuesday in a shock announcement to parliament, where MPs had convened to impeach the 93-year-old leader who dominated every aspect of Zimbabwean public life for decades. He had last been seen in public on Friday and had given a televised address on Sunday, but neither he nor his wife Grace have been seen since, with their whereabouts unknown. On the streets, the news that his long and often brutal leadership was over sparked wild celebrations which lasted late into the night, with crowds dancing and cheering amid a cacophony of car horns. Excited crowds A former key Mugabe ally, Mnangagwa had fled the country after his dismissal, saying he would not return without guarantees for his safety. His sacking was the result of an increasingly bitter succession battle with first lady Grace, who had been pushing to take over from her ageing husband. But critics describe Mnangagwa as a ruthless hard-liner who was behind years of state-sponsored violence, warning that he could prove just as authoritarian as his mentor. Rinaldo Depagne of the International Crisis Group said Mugabe's departure "does not necessarily mean more democracy". Mugabe's resignation capped a chaotic week in which the military seized control and tens of thousands of Zimbabweans took to the streets in an unprecedented show of dissent against Mugabe, who left behind an economy in ruins. "We hope to be able to access our money from the bank come December and the US dollar must come back," said Talent Chamunorwa, 37, a brick seller. He was referring to Zimbabwe's chronic shortage of cash and a mistrusted scheme for "bond notes" whose value is supposed to be linked to the US currency, but which trade at a much lower rate in reality. State-run newspaper The Herald said Zimbabweans would "never again go back into a box of silence". "All future Zimbabwean leaders are going to have to be accustomed to plain speaking, to listening and then explaining what they are doing and why," it said in a comment piece Wednesday. Grace was his undoing Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe almost unopposed since independence, and eventually became the world's oldest serving head of state. But efforts to position his 52-year-old wife Grace as his successor were his undoing. Although Mugabe's fate remains unknown, the ZANU-PF has said he deserves to be treated with respect after leading the country for nearly four decades. Last week's military takeover had all the hallmarks of a coup, but the generals stopped short of forcing Mugabe out, and Mnangagwa thanked army chief General Constantino Chiwenga during his speech on Wednesday. As the crisis grew, the ZANU-PF, an instrument of Mugabe's brutal reign, removed him as party leader and began parliamentary proceedings to have him impeached.

Zimbabwe's next leader prepares to take power

China on Wednesday said it respected Robert Mugabe&#39;s decision to step down as president of Zimbabwe and vowed to continue &quot;friendly&quot; relations with the country it backed during his authoritarian rule.

&quot;China respects Mr. Mugabe&#39;s decision to resign, and he is still a good friend of the Chinese people,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.

'China respects Mr. Mugabe's decision to resign, and he is still a good friend of the Chinese people,' - Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang

China on Wednesday said it respected Robert Mugabe's decision to step down as president of Zimbabwe and vowed to continue "friendly" relations with the country it backed during his authoritarian rule. "China respects Mr. Mugabe's decision to resign, and he is still a good friend of the Chinese people," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news briefing.

Respect Mugabe's decision to resign, he will remain a friend: China

November 2017 will go down in the history of Zimbabwe as the beginning of the end of Robert Mugabe&rsquo;s 37-year tyranny. A tumultuous week finally culminated in his resignation on November 21st. One cannot understate the widespread jubilation at the demise of Mugabe and his desire to create a dynasty for himself through his wife Grace.

But the optimism is misplaced because it doesn&rsquo;t deal directly with the dearth of democracy in Zimbabwe.

First, contrary to popular sentiment that the coup was meant to usher in a new era of political liberalisation and democracy, the takeover is actually meant to deal with a succession crisis in Zanu-PF. The military made this clear when it said that it was dealing with criminals around Mugabe. And the party&rsquo;s secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa indicated that removing Mugabe from the party&rsquo;s Central Committee was an internal party matter.

Secondly, I would argue that the military resorted to a &ldquo;smart coup&rdquo; only after its preferred candidate to succeed Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was fired from the party and government.

The way in which the military has gone about executing its plan upends any conventional understanding of what constitutes a coup d&#39;etat. It&rsquo;s a &ldquo;smart coup&rdquo; in the sense that the military combined the frustrations of a restive population, internal party structures and international sympathy to remove a sitting president. It thereby gained legitimacy for an otherwise partisan and unconstitutional political act &ndash; toppling an elected government.

This begs the question: Is the military now intervening for the collective good or for its own interests?

Why the military intervened

It is baffling to imagine how the military has suddenly become the champion of democracy and regime change in Zimbabwe.

It&rsquo;s clear that what motivated the military commanders was a fear of losing their jobs and influence after their preferred successor was purged. They launched a preemptive strike against Mugabe to safeguard their own selfish interests as a military class and the future of their careers.

Given the symbiotic relationship between the Zimbabwean military and the ruling Zanu-PF party, it was inevitable that the top commanders would be embroiled in the party&rsquo;s succession crisis. After all, the military has been the key lever behind the power of both Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF since 1980.

In the past they have acted as part of the Zanu-PF machinery, openly campaigning for Mugabe alongside other security agencies.

And they have played a key role in neutralising political opponents. Back in the 1980s, the military was responsible for the massacre of thousands of civilians and Zapu supporters in Matebeleland. More than two decades later in 2008, they were responsible for the torture, death and disappearance of 200 opposition activists and the maiming of hundreds more.

In addition, the UN has implicated Mnangagwa and the generals in the illegal plundering of resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have also been fingered in the disappearance of diamond revenues from Zimbabwe&rsquo;s Marange diamond fields.

On top of this, the military and Zanu-PF share a special relationship that has its roots in the liberation struggle. The Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) was the political wing of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Zanla) during the liberation war. They, therefore, have vested interests in the survival of the party.

After independence, the relationship remained intact as the military became the guarantors of the revolution. Some of the same surviving commanders of Zanla are still senior high ranking officials. The commanders are also bona fide members of the ruling party and guarantors of Zanu-PF power.

The same securocrats are also members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. This quasi-paramilitary group is an auxiliary association of the ruling party and has fiercely opposed Mugabe&rsquo;s attempt to create a dynasty.

Military must step aside

Zimbabwe goes to the polls next July to choose a new president and parliament. The elections &ndash; if conducted in a credible way &ndash; will provide the next government with the legitimacy it needs to take the country out of its political and economic crises.

Now that Mugabe has resigned the hope is that the military will allow a genuinely democratic transition to take place. All political players, including opposition parties, would need to be incorporated into a broad-based transitional authority pending credible elections.

But for the elections to be credible, the transitional authority would need urgently to reform the electoral system. This would ensure Zimbabweans can freely and fairly choose their leaders. Without this, peace and prosperity will continue to elude Zimbabwe.

In the long run, the military would do well to get out of politics instead of continuing to view itself as &ldquo;stockholders&rdquo; in the country&rsquo;s political affairs because of its liberation struggle credentials.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/zimbabwe-beware-the-military-is-looking-after-its-own-interests-not-democracy-87712" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit: EPA

Elections, conducted in a credible way, will provide the next government with the legitimacy it needs to take the country out of its political and economic crises

November 2017 will go down in the history of Zimbabwe as the beginning of the end of Robert Mugabe’s 37-year tyranny. A tumultuous week finally culminated in his resignation on November 21st. One cannot understate the widespread jubilation at the demise of Mugabe and his desire to create a dynasty for himself through his wife Grace. But the optimism is misplaced because it doesn’t deal directly with the dearth of democracy in Zimbabwe. First, contrary to popular sentiment that the coup was meant to usher in a new era of political liberalisation and democracy, the takeover is actually meant to deal with a succession crisis in Zanu-PF. The military made this clear when it said that it was dealing with criminals around Mugabe. And the party’s secretary for legal affairs Patrick Chinamasa indicated that removing Mugabe from the party’s Central Committee was an internal party matter. Secondly, I would argue that the military resorted to a “smart coup” only after its preferred candidate to succeed Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, was fired from the party and government. The way in which the military has gone about executing its plan upends any conventional understanding of what constitutes a coup d'etat. It’s a “smart coup” in the sense that the military combined the frustrations of a restive population, internal party structures and international sympathy to remove a sitting president. It thereby gained legitimacy for an otherwise partisan and unconstitutional political act – toppling an elected government. This begs the question: Is the military now intervening for the collective good or for its own interests? Why the military intervened It is baffling to imagine how the military has suddenly become the champion of democracy and regime change in Zimbabwe. It’s clear that what motivated the military commanders was a fear of losing their jobs and influence after their preferred successor was purged. They launched a preemptive strike against Mugabe to safeguard their own selfish interests as a military class and the future of their careers. Given the symbiotic relationship between the Zimbabwean military and the ruling Zanu-PF party, it was inevitable that the top commanders would be embroiled in the party’s succession crisis. After all, the military has been the key lever behind the power of both Mugabe and his ruling Zanu-PF since 1980. In the past they have acted as part of the Zanu-PF machinery, openly campaigning for Mugabe alongside other security agencies. And they have played a key role in neutralising political opponents. Back in the 1980s, the military was responsible for the massacre of thousands of civilians and Zapu supporters in Matebeleland. More than two decades later in 2008, they were responsible for the torture, death and disappearance of 200 opposition activists and the maiming of hundreds more. In addition, the UN has implicated Mnangagwa and the generals in the illegal plundering of resources in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They have also been fingered in the disappearance of diamond revenues from Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields. On top of this, the military and Zanu-PF share a special relationship that has its roots in the liberation struggle. The Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) was the political wing of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (Zanla) during the liberation war. They, therefore, have vested interests in the survival of the party. After independence, the relationship remained intact as the military became the guarantors of the revolution. Some of the same surviving commanders of Zanla are still senior high ranking officials. The commanders are also bona fide members of the ruling party and guarantors of Zanu-PF power. The same securocrats are also members of the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association. This quasi-paramilitary group is an auxiliary association of the ruling party and has fiercely opposed Mugabe’s attempt to create a dynasty. Military must step aside Zimbabwe goes to the polls next July to choose a new president and parliament. The elections – if conducted in a credible way – will provide the next government with the legitimacy it needs to take the country out of its political and economic crises. Now that Mugabe has resigned the hope is that the military will allow a genuinely democratic transition to take place. All political players, including opposition parties, would need to be incorporated into a broad-based transitional authority pending credible elections. But for the elections to be credible, the transitional authority would need urgently to reform the electoral system. This would ensure Zimbabweans can freely and fairly choose their leaders. Without this, peace and prosperity will continue to elude Zimbabwe. In the long run, the military would do well to get out of politics instead of continuing to view itself as “stockholders” in the country’s political affairs because of its liberation struggle credentials. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: EPA

Opinion: Zimbabwe's military is securing its own interests

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwes-leaders-should-implement-much-needed-political-reforms-us-24781">Zimbabwe&#39;s leaders should implement much-needed political reforms: US</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

The US administration relieved at the smooth transfer of power after a week of turmoil called it an &quot;extraordinary opportunity for Zimbabwe to set a new path.&quot;

&nbsp;

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The official twitter handle of the Youth Congress&#39;s online magazine Yuva Desh made a &#39;chai&#39; jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and was slammed for it.&nbsp; 
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Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as holders Real Madrid thrashed APOEL 6-0 in Cyprus to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Liverpool blew a three-goal lead in a thriller at Sevilla.

&nbsp;

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The incident happened during the tenure of Travis Kalanick- Uber&#39;s co-founder, who was the chief executive at the time of the breach.

&nbsp;

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Miffed over the ticket distribution, the father-son duo took the unexpected step on the last day of nomination for the first phase of elections.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as holders Real Madrid thrashed APOEL 6-0 in Cyprus to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Liverpool blew a three-goal lead in a thriller at Sevilla

Zimbabwe's leaders should implement much-needed political reforms: US The US administration relieved at the smooth transfer of power after a week of turmoil called it an "extraordinary opportunity for Zimbabwe to set a new path." Youth Congress online magazine makes 'chai' jibe at PM Modi, gets slammed The official twitter handle of the Youth Congress's online magazine Yuva Desh made a 'chai' jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and was slammed for it. Champions League: Ronaldo puts Real Madrid on top, Liverpool falter Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as holders Real Madrid thrashed APOEL 6-0 in Cyprus to reach the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, while Liverpool blew a three-goal lead in a thriller at Sevilla. Uber reports data breach affecting 57 million accounts The incident happened during the tenure of Travis Kalanick- Uber's co-founder, who was the chief executive at the time of the breach. Gujarat elections: Ex-MP Kanjibhai Patel, son Sunil quit BJP Miffed over the ticket distribution, the father-son duo took the unexpected step on the last day of nomination for the first phase of elections.

WION morning news brief, November 22, 2017

Nicknamed &quot;the Crocodile&quot; for his ruthlessness, Emmerson Mnangagwa who will take over as Zimbabwe&#39;s next president, is a hardliner with ties to the military who could prove as authoritarian as his mentor Robert Mugabe.&nbsp;

It was his political ambition to take over which set off a bitter succession battle between him and Grace, the president&#39;s 52-year-old wife, triggering the crisis that toppled the autocrat, who resigned on Tuesday.&nbsp;

When Mnangagwa was dismissed as vice president by Mugabe on November 6, it initially looked like he&#39;d been outfoxed by the first lady, forcing him to flee the country.&nbsp;

But the situation quickly turned on its head, with his dismissal triggering a military takeover and mass street protests, which ended with Mugabe&#39;s ouster and Mnangagwa catapulted to centre stage.&nbsp;

With the nation still reeling from Mugabe&#39;s lightning demise, the 75-year-old was to make a triumphant return home on Wednesday and be sworn in as president on Friday.&nbsp;

A former close Mugabe ally, Mnangagwa&#39;s fall from grace appears to have been engineered by the first lady, who lobbied her husband to back her own political ambitions.

It was the climax of a long feud between the pair over who would replace the ailing and increasingly frail 93-year-old leader.&nbsp;

But Mnangagwa&#39;s dismissal alarmed the army, with the generals quickly moving in, staging a military takeover which brought him down within days.&nbsp;

Political veteran&nbsp;

Mnangagwa&#39;s rise to the top comes after decades of experience under Mugabe since Zimbabwe won independence from Britain in 1980.&nbsp;

In the early days, Mugabe appointed Mnangagwa, a young trainee lawyer, as Zimbabwe&#39;s first minister for national security.&nbsp;

After that, he held a host of different cabinet positions - but relations between him and his political mentor were not always easy, and the younger man was no stranger to presidential purges.&nbsp;

In 2004, he lost his post as administrative secretary in the ruling ZANU-PF after being accused of openly angling for the post of vice president.

Violence and intimidation

But it was during the 2008 elections that his fortunes really began to change when he was serving as head of Mugabe&#39;s election campaign.&nbsp;

Mugabe lost the first round vote, and Mnangagwa allegedly supervised the wave of violence and intimidation that forced the opposition to pull out of the run-off vote.

In the same year, he took over as head of the Joint Operations Command, a committee of security chiefs which was accused by rights groups of organising violence to crush dissent.

He was targeted by EU and US sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his close allies over the elections and the ensuing violence but was promptly handed control of the powerful defence ministry.

A young fighter&nbsp;

Born in the southwestern Zvishavane district on September 15, 1942, Mnangagwa completed his early education in Zimbabwe before his family relocated to neighbouring Zambia.

His grandfather was a traditional leader and his father a political agitator for the repeal of colonial laws that disadvantaged blacks.

In 1966, Mnangagwa joined the struggle for independence from Britain, becoming one of the young combatants who helped direct the war after undergoing training in China and Egypt.

He was arrested and sentenced to death but his sentence was later commuted to 10 years in prison because of his young age.

After independence in 1980, he directed a brutal crackdown on opposition supporters that claimed thousands of lives in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces.

The Gukurahundi massacres remain the biggest scar on his reputation among many Zimbabweans.

He once remarked that he had been taught to &quot;destroy and kill&quot; - although he later claimed to be a born-again Christian.&nbsp;

Emmerson Mnangagwa is nicknamed 'the Crocodile' for his ruthlessness

Nicknamed "the Crocodile" for his ruthlessness, Emmerson Mnangagwa who will take over as Zimbabwe's next president, is a hardliner with ties to the military who could prove as authoritarian as his mentor Robert Mugabe. It was his political ambition to take over which set off a bitter succession battle between him and Grace, the president's 52-year-old wife, triggering the crisis that toppled the autocrat, who resigned on Tuesday. When Mnangagwa was dismissed as vice president by Mugabe on November 6, it initially looked like he'd been outfoxed by the first lady, forcing him to flee the country. But the situation quickly turned on its head, with his dismissal triggering a military takeover and mass street protests, which ended with Mugabe's ouster and Mnangagwa catapulted to centre stage. With the nation still reeling from Mugabe's lightning demise, the 75-year-old was to make a triumphant return home on Wednesday and be sworn in as president on Friday. A former close Mugabe ally, Mnangagwa's fall from grace appears to have been engineered by the first lady, who lobbied her husband to back her own political ambitions. It was the climax of a long feud between the pair over who would replace the ailing and increasingly frail 93-year-old leader. But Mnangagwa's dismissal alarmed the army, with the generals quickly moving in, staging a military takeover which brought him down within days. Political veteran Mnangagwa's rise to the top comes after decades of experience under Mugabe since Zimbabwe won independence from Britain in 1980. In the early days, Mugabe appointed Mnangagwa, a young trainee lawyer, as Zimbabwe's first minister for national security. After that, he held a host of different cabinet positions - but relations between him and his political mentor were not always easy, and the younger man was no stranger to presidential purges. In 2004, he lost his post as administrative secretary in the ruling ZANU-PF after being accused of openly angling for the post of vice president. Violence and intimidation But it was during the 2008 elections that his fortunes really began to change when he was serving as head of Mugabe's election campaign. Mugabe lost the first round vote, and Mnangagwa allegedly supervised the wave of violence and intimidation that forced the opposition to pull out of the run-off vote. In the same year, he took over as head of the Joint Operations Command, a committee of security chiefs which was accused by rights groups of organising violence to crush dissent. He was targeted by EU and US sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his close allies over the elections and the ensuing violence but was promptly handed control of the powerful defence ministry. A young fighter Born in the southwestern Zvishavane district on September 15, 1942, Mnangagwa completed his early education in Zimbabwe before his family relocated to neighbouring Zambia. His grandfather was a traditional leader and his father a political agitator for the repeal of colonial laws that disadvantaged blacks. In 1966, Mnangagwa joined the struggle for independence from Britain, becoming one of the young combatants who helped direct the war after undergoing training in China and Egypt. He was arrested and sentenced to death but his sentence was later commuted to 10 years in prison because of his young age. After independence in 1980, he directed a brutal crackdown on opposition supporters that claimed thousands of lives in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces. The Gukurahundi massacres remain the biggest scar on his reputation among many Zimbabweans. He once remarked that he had been taught to "destroy and kill" - although he later claimed to be a born-again Christian.

Profile: Mnangagwa, set to take over Zimbabwe, could prove as authoritarian as mentor Mugabe

The US &quot;congratulated all who raised their<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwe-president-robert-mugabe-resigns-24775"> voices&quot; against Robert Mugabe&#39;s regime</a> as the Zimbabwe leader stepped down as president on Tuesday.

The US administration <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/zimbabwes-parliament-starts-impeachment-process-against-mugabe-24764">relieved at the smooth transfer</a> of power after a week of turmoil called it an &quot;extraordinary opportunity for Zimbabwe to set a new path.&quot;

Parliament speaker had read out a letter written by Robert Mugabe stating was resigning with &quot;immediate effect&quot;&nbsp;bringing an abrupt end to his 37-year rule.

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said: &quot;With the resignation of Robert Mugabe, today marks a historic moment for Zimbabwe, we congratulate all Zimbabweans who raised their voices and stated peacefully and clearly that the time for change was overdue.&quot;

&quot;Zimbabwe has an extraordinary opportunity to set itself on a new path,&quot; the US secretary of state added.

&quot;The United States strongly supports a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe,&quot; he said, adding,&quot;As events unfold, we continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint and respect constitutional and civilian order,&quot; he maintained.

&quot;We urge Zimbabwe&#39;s leaders to implement much-needed political and economic reforms for a more stable and promising future for the Zimbabwean people,&quot; Tillerson said

&quot;Whatever short-term arrangements the government may establish, the path forward must lead to free and fair elections. The people of Zimbabwe must choose their own leaders,&quot; the US secretary of state concluded.

People on the street&nbsp;cheered after the announcement in Parliament of Mugabe&#39;s resignation, in a week marked with scenes of tanks and armoured vehicles moving around Harare and uncertainty over Mugabe&#39;s next move as he refused to fade away.

With&nbsp;Mugabe&#39;s exit, vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa who flew into the country last week after being removed by Mugabe earlier is expected take over the reins of government with several other anti-Mugabe leaders&nbsp;set to come back.

&quot;I believe that the fired vice president Mnangagwa, who the party central committee endorsed... will come back in the next 24 hours or so and he will be the one who will be sworn in to be president for 90 days,&quot; said ZANU-PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo.

The US administration relieved at the smooth transfer of power after a week of turmoil called it an "extraordinary opportunity"

The US "congratulated all who raised their voices" against Robert Mugabe's regime as the Zimbabwe leader stepped down as president on Tuesday. The US administration relieved at the smooth transfer of power after a week of turmoil called it an "extraordinary opportunity for Zimbabwe to set a new path." Parliament speaker had read out a letter written by Robert Mugabe stating was resigning with "immediate effect" bringing an abrupt end to his 37-year rule. US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said: "With the resignation of Robert Mugabe, today marks a historic moment for Zimbabwe, we congratulate all Zimbabweans who raised their voices and stated peacefully and clearly that the time for change was overdue." "Zimbabwe has an extraordinary opportunity to set itself on a new path," the US secretary of state added. "The United States strongly supports a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Zimbabwe," he said, adding,"As events unfold, we continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint and respect constitutional and civilian order," he maintained. "We urge Zimbabwe's leaders to implement much-needed political and economic reforms for a more stable and promising future for the Zimbabwean people," Tillerson said "Whatever short-term arrangements the government may establish, the path forward must lead to free and fair elections. The people of Zimbabwe must choose their own leaders," the US secretary of state concluded. People on the street cheered after the announcement in Parliament of Mugabe's resignation, in a week marked with scenes of tanks and armoured vehicles moving around Harare and uncertainty over Mugabe's next move as he refused to fade away. With Mugabe's exit, vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa who flew into the country last week after being removed by Mugabe earlier is expected take over the reins of government with several other anti-Mugabe leaders set to come back. "I believe that the fired vice president Mnangagwa, who the party central committee endorsed... will come back in the next 24 hours or so and he will be the one who will be sworn in to be president for 90 days," said ZANU-PF spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo.

Zimbabwe's leaders should implement much-needed political reforms: US

Zimbabwe&#39;s ousted deputy president Emmerson Mnangagwa today asked President Robert Mugabe to respect public opinion and step down and said he would only return home when his security was assured.

&quot;The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call by the people of Zimbabwe to resign so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,&quot; Mnangagwa said in a statement.

Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe shortly being sacked by Mugabe early this month.

The crisis followed a factional squabble in the ruling ZANU-PF party over the 93-year-old Mugabe&#39;s successor.

Mnangagwa said he had rejected an invitation by Mugabe to return home to discuss the current political situation.

&quot;I told the president that I would not return home now until I am satisfied with my personal security, because of the manner and treatment were given to me by being fired.&quot; Mnangagwa was initially believed to be in South Africa.

'The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call by the people of Zimbabwe to resign so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,' Mnangagwa

Zimbabwe's ousted deputy president Emmerson Mnangagwa today asked President Robert Mugabe to respect public opinion and step down and said he would only return home when his security was assured. "The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call by the people of Zimbabwe to resign so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy," Mnangagwa said in a statement. Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe shortly being sacked by Mugabe early this month. The crisis followed a factional squabble in the ruling ZANU-PF party over the 93-year-old Mugabe's successor. Mnangagwa said he had rejected an invitation by Mugabe to return home to discuss the current political situation. "I told the president that I would not return home now until I am satisfied with my personal security, because of the manner and treatment were given to me by being fired." Mnangagwa was initially believed to be in South Africa.

Ousted Zimbabwe deputy president asks Mugabe to resign

Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe&#39;s journey of life appears to be a fantasy or akin to an animated world of Hollywood, where the princess, who lived her life in distress met her prince charming and live happily forever. But &#39;happily ever after&#39; is certainly not the case with Grace Mugabe.

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&quot;Gucci Grace&quot; pictured with her husband in Vietnam in 2001. (AFP)
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From a typist to the most powerful lady in the Zimbabwe, her lifestyle has an iridescent all negative shades. From being unapologetically arrogant to uncomparably ambitious, she was a synonym of nasty.

She was born in Benoni, Johannesburg, in a middle-class family but Grace had certainly bigger dreams for herself. She was married to Stanley Goreraza, an air force pilot from Zimbabwe and has a son.

Soon after that, she started working as a typist in president&#39;s office, where she met Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe. In some time, they started having an affair. At that time, Robert was married to his first wife Sally Hayfron but she was terminally ill.&nbsp;

Robert is 40 years older than Grace. Love might have certain boundaries but ambition does not have any. After the death of Sally Hayfron, ambitious Grace got married to Robert Mugabe in a lavish ceremony. She has three children with Robert.

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Grace and Robert got married in the year 1996. (Others)
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As far as her education is concerned, she was given the doctoral degree in sociology in the year 2014 but her dissertation is still not available in the archive of University of Zimbabwe.

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She was given the doctoral degree in sociology in the year 2014. (AFP)
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Western media has named her &#39;Gucci Grace&#39; just because of her lavish lifestyle and extravagant spending on luxuries. The European Union even put a travel ban on her. The EU attempts to put an end to her expensive trips in European countries while her citizen suffers. Once she spent USD 120000 on a short shopping spree in Paris, France. After the travel ban, she started visiting China and Malaysia to shop. She also has mansions in China and Malaysia.

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Grace Mugabe shows off her pearl jewellery as she arrives for the opening of Parliament in Harare. (Reuters)
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She launched construction of two palaces in Zimbabwe, one of which was sold to Muammar Gaddafi, another leader of her kind.

She has a habit of being in the news for all the possible wrong reasons. Once she assaulted a model and later a British journalist because of which she surfaced in the media for quite some time. She was an attention seeker. Her lifestyle has earned the name &quot;Dis-Grace&quot; at home.

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Grace Mugabe spotted with her husband Robert Mubage in Paris. (AFP)
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Initially, she stayed out of politics and was better known for her spending habits, such as rare diamond jewellery, and Rolls-Royce limousines for her playboy sons.

But later her political ambition was very much clear by her imprudent actions. When Majuru was expelled from the party, Grace became head of the ZANU-PF Women&rsquo;s League that gave her a seat at the party&rsquo;s top table.

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There are claims that the money funding her lifestyle came from the country&#39;s diamonds. (AP)
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Emmerson Mnangagwa was president&#39;s ally and also likely to be President&#39;s successor but Grace used her political platform to take on Mnangagwa and his allies, eventually firing him from the party.

She emerged to be the most powerful lady in Zimbabwe, but her inappropriate lifestyle is the reason why many anticipated her downfall, and now its happening. She could have used her power and stature to improve the standard of living of thousands of Zimbabweans. Like her rise, even her downfall is dramatic as a feature film. A film that ends with a question, where did the sorceress go?

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

From a typist to Zimbabwe's First Lady, Grace Mugabe has been unapologetic, arrogant and ambitious

Grace Ntombizodwa Mugabe's journey of life appears to be a fantasy or akin to an animated world of Hollywood, where the princess, who lived her life in distress met her prince charming and live happily forever. But 'happily ever after' is certainly not the case with Grace Mugabe. "Gucci Grace" pictured with her husband in Vietnam in 2001. (AFP) × From a typist to the most powerful lady in the Zimbabwe, her lifestyle has an iridescent all negative shades. From being unapologetically arrogant to uncomparably ambitious, she was a synonym of nasty. She was born in Benoni, Johannesburg, in a middle-class family but Grace had certainly bigger dreams for herself. She was married to Stanley Goreraza, an air force pilot from Zimbabwe and has a son. Soon after that, she started working as a typist in president's office, where she met Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe. In some time, they started having an affair. At that time, Robert was married to his first wife Sally Hayfron but she was terminally ill. Robert is 40 years older than Grace. Love might have certain boundaries but ambition does not have any. After the death of Sally Hayfron, ambitious Grace got married to Robert Mugabe in a lavish ceremony. She has three children with Robert. Grace and Robert got married in the year 1996. (Others) × As far as her education is concerned, she was given the doctoral degree in sociology in the year 2014 but her dissertation is still not available in the archive of University of Zimbabwe. She was given the doctoral degree in sociology in the year 2014. (AFP) × Western media has named her 'Gucci Grace' just because of her lavish lifestyle and extravagant spending on luxuries. The European Union even put a travel ban on her. The EU attempts to put an end to her expensive trips in European countries while her citizen suffers. Once she spent USD 120000 on a short shopping spree in Paris, France. After the travel ban, she started visiting China and Malaysia to shop. She also has mansions in China and Malaysia. Grace Mugabe shows off her pearl jewellery as she arrives for the opening of Parliament in Harare. (Reuters) × She launched construction of two palaces in Zimbabwe, one of which was sold to Muammar Gaddafi, another leader of her kind. She has a habit of being in the news for all the possible wrong reasons. Once she assaulted a model and later a British journalist because of which she surfaced in the media for quite some time. She was an attention seeker. Her lifestyle has earned the name "Dis-Grace" at home. Grace Mugabe spotted with her husband Robert Mubage in Paris. (AFP) × Initially, she stayed out of politics and was better known for her spending habits, such as rare diamond jewellery, and Rolls-Royce limousines for her playboy sons. But later her political ambition was very much clear by her imprudent actions. When Majuru was expelled from the party, Grace became head of the ZANU-PF Women’s League that gave her a seat at the party’s top table. There are claims that the money funding her lifestyle came from the country's diamonds. (AP) × Emmerson Mnangagwa was president's ally and also likely to be President's successor but Grace used her political platform to take on Mnangagwa and his allies, eventually firing him from the party. She emerged to be the most powerful lady in Zimbabwe, but her inappropriate lifestyle is the reason why many anticipated her downfall, and now its happening. She could have used her power and stature to improve the standard of living of thousands of Zimbabweans. Like her rise, even her downfall is dramatic as a feature film. A film that ends with a question, where did the sorceress go? (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: 50 shades of Grace Mugabe

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