#ZimbabweCoup: President Robert Mugabe And Wife Grace ‘Detained’

Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe was this morning ‘detained’ – as a military coup seem to end his 37-year iron grip on power. The country’s army confirmed the southern African nation’s 93-year-old president had been “detained” but insisted he was “safe”. Soldiers had earlier seized the country’s state TV station amid explosions and gunfire after tanks rolled into capital Harare.Exiled former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa – nicknamed The Crocodile – has been installed as leader after being flown back into the country, a Twitter account claiming to be run by plotters said. It said: “Zimbabwe was not owned by Mugabe or his wife” – a reference to Grace Mugabe, who the statement accuses of “taking advantage” of the elderly statesman.Grace was widely accused of running the country for infirm Mugabe and feared to be plotting a power grab when he died.

The army finally stepped in yesterday after Mugabe fired popular number two Mnangagwa, his probable successor, last week.A statement, reportedly issued by ruling party Zanu-PF, added: “Last night the first family was detained and are safe, both for the constitution and the sanity of the nation this was necessary. Today begins a fresh new era and comrade Mnangagwa will help us achieve a better Zimbabwe.”Photo Credit: Getty

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