By Jeffrey Moyo and John Cassim
HARARE, Zimbabwe
Soldiers and armored personnel carriers surrounded key buildings in the capital Harare on Wednesday following the overthrow of President Robert Mugabe.
Troops milled around the parliament and Mugabe’s residence as schools and universities were shut.
Many locals remained at home as newspapers described a tense calm across the country. One summed up the atmosphere with the headline: “Zim on knife edge”.
Some shop owners decided not open for fear of violence and looting while long queues were seen at banks as customers rushed to withdraw money.
“I had no choice but to come to the bank and see if I could withdraw some cash as I have nothing at home,” Innocent Mumba, a 54-year-old Harare resident, told Anadolu Agency.
“Luckily, the military has not intervened with the banking services and I am happy.”
Rodgers Tshuma voiced support for the military intervention, which saw Mugabe, his family and close associates detained.
“The military takeover was long overdue as those close to President Robert Mugabe were looting at the expense of the ordinary citizens,” he said.
On Nelson Mandela Avenue leading to the parliament, soldiers blocked pedestrians from approached the legislature.
At the Munhumutapa Building, which houses the presidency and other government offices, armored personnel carriers fixed with machine guns were parked nearby.
‘Tide has shifted’
Soldiers searched passers-by close to the historical building, which previously housed the offices colonial rulers such as Rhodesian leader Ian Smith.
At the headquarters of the ruling Zanu-PF, several soldiers armed with AK-47 assault rifles stood in front.
A bid to stage an anti-military protest by young Zanu-PF supporters loyal to First Lady Grace Mugabe and her Generation 40 faction was thwarted as troops flooded Freedom Square, the planned venue, and set up cordons.
Youth League leader Kudzanayi Chipanga, who a day earlier had threatened to take on the military, was among those said to be in custody.
Early Wednesday, an army spokesman appeared on television to say the intervention was “targeting criminals” around Mugabe, who has ruled since 1980.
Later, the Zanu-PF made a series of announcements on Twitter confirming Mugabe’s detention and the nomination of Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was sacked as vice president last week, as interim party leader and de facto president.
Some media reports claimed the army had also arrested several Cabinet members, including Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo.
Harare resident Edward Nhepera, a veteran of Zimbabwe’s liberation war, told Anadolu Agency it was clear the country had undergone a fundamental change.
“The tide has shifted,” he said. “Yesterday it was Mugabe and his G40 cabals who appeared to be winning as they fired Vice President Mnangagwa... and now the real owners of the party have eventually prevailed.”
Zimbabweans ambivalent
According to some analysts, Zimbabweans were “impressed” with the military move and predicted the opposition Movement Democratic Change (MDC) -- led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai -- would face a reorganized Zanu-PF in elections next year.
Mlondolozi Ndlovhu, an independent political analyst based in Harare, told Anadolu Agency: “People already have been impressed by the actions that have been taken by the army to silence a faction that caused the majority’s suffering here.”
However, others predicted the formation of an opposition coalition before elections.
“This country heads for a coalition government pitting opposition MDC formations and other parties [against] the governing Zanu-PF, whose new leader shall be announced in due course, to stabilize the economy before polls,” Farai Gwenhure, a Harare-based media analyst, said.
The significant Zimbabwean diaspora in South Africa remained ambiguous about the changes.
While some celebrated the news of the military intervention, others were skeptical about the future.
“We are happy the army has arrested some ministers who have been perpetrating corruption and we hope winds of change are coming to Zimbabwe,” Auditor Zinyanga said.
One bus driver in Johannesburg said rumors of the coup had reduced the number of travellers on the Johannesburg-Harare route.
South Africa is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner in the region and hosts thousands of Zimbabwean migrants who fled their country because of political persecution or economic turmoil.
*Hassan Isilow contributed to this story from Johannesburg, South Africa
