Harare ‑ The Zimbabwean military says it has made progress in the ongoing negotiations with 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday dispatched a two-member team comprising defence and military veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula and State Security minister Bongani Bongo to meet Mugabe and the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
“Since our last updates on developments in the country, we wish to inform the nation that significant progress has been made in our operation. To this end, we have accounted for some of the criminals while others are still at large,” a statement by the military said early Friday morning.
“We are currently engaged with the Commander-in-Chief [Mugabe] on the way forward and you will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible. Defence attaches accredited to Zimbabwe have been briefed to appraise their principles on the obtaining situation in our country.
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“We have also advised the bureaucrats to brief their co-operating partners. We implore other security services to continue operations and carry out their duties without any form of impediment to our operation.”
The military warned “certain individuals and groups within society”, saying they should not purport to be speaking on their behalf.
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No details were released of the meeting between Mugabe and army generals who included general Constantino Chiwenga the leader of the takeover.
The military took charge of the country on Tuesday when tanks rolled into the capital and early Wednesday morning the army said it was acting against “criminals” surrounding Mugabe, but they insisted their actions were not a coup.
However, a statement by Zuma read that Mugabe had said he was “fine, but confined” at his blue roof mansion in the leafy suburb of Borrowdale.