Zimbabwe latest: Defiant Robert Mugabe under house arrest but insists he is still legitimate leader

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Robert Mugabe was today insisting that he was still Zimbabwe’s legitimate ruler despite being held under house arrest by the army, according to an intelligence source.

The 93-year-old dictator was said to be rebuffing mediation attempts by Catholic priest Fidelis Mukonori to allow him a graceful exit after the military seized control of the capital Harare.

The move by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces is believed to have been launched to stop Mugabe creating a dynasty and handing power to his ambitious wife Grace, 52.

Former security chief Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was recently sacked by Mr Mugabe as vice-president, has been mapping out a post-Mugabe vision with the military and opposition for more than a year, according to intelligence reports.

Robert Mugabe as PM of Zimbabwe in 1986.
AFP/Getty Images

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who has been receiving cancer treatment in Britain and South Africa, returned to Harare last night.

However, the fate of the poverty-ravaged country appeared to be resting with its neighbours, particularly South Africa. Its president Jacob Zuma has sent envoys to talk with Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, and military leaders. Britain has appealed for all parties to avoid violence.

The military have taken over the city of Harare.
AP

Soldiers remain on the streets of Harare as Mugabe refuses to give up power. The former guerrilla leader, his wife and cabinet ministers Jonathan Moyo and Saviour Kasuku — who fled their homes which were attacked by troops on Tuesday night — were being detained at his “Blue House” compound in Harare and are insisting that he finishes his presidential term, said one local source.

However, separate reports claimed that Mrs Mugabe fled to Namibia yesterday. There is little public affection for the former government typist who began an affair with Mugabe in the early Nineties as his first wife, Sally, was dying of cancer. Dubbed “DisGrace” or “Gucci Grace” for her love of shopping, including in London, she has had a meteoric rise through the ranks of Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF in the last two years, culminating in Mr Mnangagwa’s removal a week ago — a move seen as clearing the way for her to succeed her husband.

Mugabe’s downfall will raise hopes that corruption, violence against political opponents and large-scale electoral fraud will be reduced.

However, Mr Mnangagwa, known as “The Crocodile”, has been a long-time henchman of Mugabe and opposition political leaders will be wary of him seizing power.

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