Mugabe Did Not Refer to Resignation in His Television Speech

Despite warnings from Zimbabwe's ruling party about the possibility of impeachment if Robert Mugabe does not resign, the President of Zimbabwe did not mention stepping down in a televised speech on Sunday evening. The central committee of Zimbabwe's ruling party voted on Sunday to remove Robert Mugabe from the party leadership, after which reports indicated that Mr. Mugabe was preparing to resign from the presidency after nearly four decades of rule in the African nation. The Associated Press reported on the potential resignation of the 93-year-old President of Zimbabwe on Sunday evening, citing a source familiar with discussions on the matter. Mr. Mugabe, the oldest person currently in power in the world, has been the undisputed ruler of Zimbabwe for 37 years, and despite his advanced age, previous reports indicated his and his party's willingness to nominate him for the 2018 elections. The ruling party of Zimbabwe threatened that if Mr. Mugabe did not resign by noon on Monday, November 29, the impeachment process would begin. The source cited by the Associated Press did not disclose their name due to restrictions on speaking to the media but predicted that Robert Mugabe would soon address the nation in a televised speech. However, there was no mention of Mr. Mugabe's potential decision to resign. Since Tuesday, when he dismissed his deputy in favor of appointing his wife, Mr. Mugabe has been under house arrest, although he was allowed to attend a graduation ceremony on Friday. Since his house arrest, Mr. Mugabe has been trying to negotiate with the military to find a dignified way to exit power, but as the Associated Press reports, he soon found himself isolated and alone. On Saturday, tens of thousands of Zimbabweans protested against Mr. Mugabe's continued rule in several cities across the country. The central office of the ruling party of Zimbabwe has now proposed Emerson Mnangagwa, Mr. Mugabe's ousted deputy, to lead the party, and thus he may become the next leader of the country. In this context, Robert Mugabe has been removed from the leadership of the ruling party of Zimbabwe, thousands of Zimbabweans have called for Mugabe's resignation, and he appeared in public for the first time since his house arrest. Mugabe's insistence on remaining in power continues the crisis in Zimbabwe, where the military has taken control and deployed troops in the streets of Harare.