Zimbabwe - Coup? (1 Viewer)

[whoknew]

Is there a coup going on in Zimbabwe? Its more than time for Mugabe to go. He's just destroyed that country.

Link

Tensions rose in Harare on Tuesday as armoured vehicles, military police and soldiers from Zimbabwe’s powerful military drove through the outskirts of the capital, a day after the head of the armed forces said he was prepared to “step in”to end a purge of supporters of sacked vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

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AP News - 2m

BREAKING: At least 3 explosions heard in Zimbabwe's capital as military vehicles seen in streets.

 

[Eephus]

Mugabe has been in power for a long time and has been ruthless in eliminating potential opponents.  It's likely his successor will be just as bad as he was.

The head of the military is named Constantine Chiwenga.  He'll either be in power or dead by the weekend.

 

[whoknew]

BREAKING: US Embassy in Zimbabwe encourages US citizens to 'shelter in place' amid political turmoil.

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Sounds like Chiwenga is going to give it his shot. 

@Eephus - You know anything about Chiwenga? Is he any better?

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Will anybody really notice the difference?

 

[Limp Ditka]

A push from the left

a shout from the right ​

 

[Eephus]

@Eephus - You know anything about Chiwenga? Is he any better?

Not a thing.  I assume anybody who's risen to a position of power in Mugabe's Zimbabwe is murderous and corrupt.  I know Mugabe is a member of the Shona majority.  I assume Chiwenga is as well.  Mugabe's old rival Joshua Nkomo was a member of a minority ethnic group.

But removing Mugabe is a step in the right direction.  There are generations of Zimbabweans who have never known any other leader.   Hopefully some reforms will come out of the regime change (if it happens).

 

[Eephus]

Military claims to be in control.  Mugabe reported as safe.  Still apparently bloodless.  

 

[General Malaise]

What a corrupt family.  Joseph Kabila in the DRC is the next to go I hope.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Will anybody really notice the difference?

The 17 million people living there might, dummy. 

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Military claims to be in control.  Mugabe reported as safe.  Still apparently bloodless.  

They should roast him with yams, one of the worst human beings evah! 

 

[popeye]

They should roast him with yams, one of the worst human beings evah! 

Seems like a waste of yams.

 

[Limp Ditka]

They should roast him with yams, one of the worst human beings evah! 

@Evilgrin 72 - You're not going to let him talk about your friend like this, are you? 

 

[msommer]

Is it a coup?

The answer seems a firm YesNo.

Could very well be the now sacked VP taking over from Mugabe.

That would likely mean bad things for Grace Mugabe's wing.

But no real change to the country. Just a different group of kleptocrats in charge.

And that really is sad.

 

[RokNRole]

Zimbabwe Coup is the name of my new metal band 

 

[Evilgrin 72]

@Evilgrin 72 - You're not going to let him talk about your friend like this, are you? 

Not just my friend, my kid brother damn it! 

 

[msommer]

Is it a coup?

The answer seems a firm YesNo.

Could very well be the now sacked VP taking over from Mugabe.

That would likely mean bad things for Grace Mugabe's wing.

But no real change to the country. Just a different group of kleptocrats in charge.

And that really is sad.

Cartoonist take

Twitter

 

[mr. furley]

https://imgur.com/gallery/aTtiE

 

[msommer]

Is it a coup?

The answer seems a firm YesNo.

Could very well be the now sacked VP taking over from Mugabe.

That would likely mean bad things for Grace Mugabe's wing.

But no real change to the country. Just a different group of kleptocrats in charge.

And that really is sad.

BBC's take

No-one is exactly celebrating here - too much remains unknown. But shops and businesses are working and Zimbabwe is quietly adapting to the stunning fact that President Robert Mugabe is still under house arrest, and that no-one is coming to rescue him.

Instead, those now in control here - soldiers and civilians - are trying to convince the world that there wasn't really a military coup at all. More of a forceful reshuffle.

But to win that argument, they need Mr Mugabe to play along.

So the key question now is whether the 93-year-old can be persuaded to make some sort of statement, legitimising the upheavals of the past two days, in return for, what? A peaceful retirement, the safety of his wife and family? Zimbabwe's drama is still unfolding.

 

[Osaurus]

US lifts ban on importation of elephant trophies and now this?  

 

[msommer]

Impeachment procedings to start as Mugabe refuses to step down

It's like getting Capone on tax fraud...

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Rozita Riazati‏ @RozitaRiazati

Mugabe resigns - says parliament speaker impeachment debate suspended #Zimbabwe (Reu/AFP)

7:48 AM - 21 Nov 2017

 

[Corporation]

Yep, he's gone

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/21/africa/robert-mugabe-resigns-zimbabwe-president/index.html

 

[Gustavo Fring]

Who shot the sheriff, but missed the deputy?  

 

[msommer]

And the coup is complete.

A little background on the next president, "The Crocodile"

 

[Eephus]

Good thing yams are on sale this week.

 

[Kal El]

And the coup is complete.

A little background on the next president, "The Crocodile"

Sounds a bit like "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss." Only with more human rights violations.

 

[Eephus]

Yeah, it was a coup of succession rather than real change.

But I think you have to look at this as if the glass is half full.  Mugabe was ousted without bloodshed.  Mnangagwa is in his 70s and in poor health.  He won't rule for 40 years and he will never have the mystique of inevitability that Mugabe was able to maintain.

 

[Kal El]

Yeah, it was a coup of succession rather than real change.

But I think you have to look at this as if the glass is half full.  Mugabe was ousted without bloodshed.  Mnangagwa is in his 70s and in poor health.  He won't rule for 40 years and he will never have the mystique of inevitability that Mugabe was able to maintain.

So we'll hear about another one in what, 5, maybe 10 years? Can we get odds on that?

 

[Doctor Detroit]

If you actually care, read this.

 

[Da Guru]

If you actually care, read this.

I read all the time. Wish I knew more about the politics of that region.  Going to start reading up on it as it sounds very interesting.

 

[Eephus]

If you actually care, read this.

The Zimbabwe thread is loaded with bandwagon fans

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Mugabe is a really terrible version of Ho Chi Minh. 

Minh understood the importance of independence and not oppression, while Mugabe became an African version of Noriega.  Many fall into this trap but Mugabe was really a more successful Nelson Mandela, only less heralded.  Then he became a Marxist jackoff who sent his special forces guys to be trained in North Korea, and wiped out his economic base due to jealousy and racism. 

The best revolutions like in Iran, Russia, and Zimbabwe always seem to be swallowed by greed, excess, and stupidity.  For every Lenin there is a Stalin, and for every Mandela there is an Amin. 

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Gideon Gono, then governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, simply printed more of it. “Traditional economics do not fully apply in this country,” he said. “I am going to print and print and sign the money…because we need money.” Inflation reached 500 billion percent, according to the IMF, or 89.7 sextillion percent, according to Steve Hanke of Johns Hopkins University.

 

[Eephus]

Ideology for the masses.  Riches for the elites.

Mugabe had a 40 year run and escaped with his life (for now).  He's a monster of the first order by I can't help but have some grudging admiration for what he was able to pull off.  Mbasogo in Eq. Guinea moves up to second on the active list behind Paul Biya of Cameroon.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

Ideology for the masses.  Riches for the elites.

Mugabe had a 40 year run and escaped with his life (for now).  He's a monster of the first order by I can't help but have some grudging admiration for what he was able to pull off.  Mbasogo in Eq. Guinea moves up to second on the active list behind Paul Biya of Cameroon.

I had a conversation with someone who has been to Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, and Senegal today.  She said Guinea was the most ####ed up country she's ever been to, so....

I've spent a lot of time in Cameroon, it's among the best Sub-Saharan countries FWIW. 

 

[Eephus]

The company I work for does a decent amount of business in Africa including EG.  However fascinating I find the continent to be in concept, you couldn't offer a good enough package for me to work there.

 

[Christo]

If you actually care, read this.

Short of taxes and revenues raised from the export of crops such as tobacco, the government soon began to run out of money. Gideon Gono, then governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, simply printed more of it. “Traditional economics do not fully apply in this country,” he said. “I am going to print and print and sign the money…because we need money.” Inflation reached 500 billion percent, according to the IMF, or 89.7 sextillion percent, according to Steve Hanke of Johns Hopkins University. 

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Will anybody really notice the difference?

The 17 million people living there might, dummy. 

And the coup is complete.

A little background on the next president, "The Crocodile"

This was my point, however inartfully conveyed.  Perhaps it was unfair, but my initial reaction was to be skeptical that this kind of change would really lead to meaningful results for most of the citizens who lived there.  It probably can't be any worse, and perhaps there is a sliver of optimism that things will get a little better, but unfortunately, I will probably remain skeptical.

 

[msommer]

This was my point, however inartfully conveyed.  Perhaps it was unfair, but my initial reaction was to be skeptical that this kind of change would really lead to meaningful results for most of the citizens who lived there.  It probably can't be any worse, and perhaps there is a sliver of optimism that things will get a little better, but unfortunately, I will probably remain skeptical.

Usually this type of move makes it worse. Mnangagwa has less charisma so he'll have to lean more on the military and internal security forces.

That's hardly a roadmap of the path to freedom and democracy