Zimbabwe’s embattled President Robert Mugabe in a televised address to the nation has insisted that he is still the country’s president despite the pressure for him to step down.
Mugabe said he would preside over the ruling party’s congress coming up in a few weeks.
The 93-year-old leader, who was earlier on Sunday sacked by ZANU-PF as party leader, had been given less than 24 hours to resign as president or be impeached.
On Saturday, tens of thousands of overjoyed protesters flooded Zimbabwe’s streets, celebrating the crumbling of Mugabe’s ruthless regime which had controlled the country for nearly 40 years.
His grip on power was weakened when the military intervened last week in a row over who should succeed him. He was put under house arrest in response to his sacking of vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa.
His address came after meeting military commanders for talks on Sunday.
His speech has elicited loads of reactions online.
Please forgive Robert Mugabe. He has no clue about what just happened. A great lesson to Africa . Never allow one man to think he is God. Mugabe thinks we can’t do without him. Terrible bubble #Zimbabwe https://t.co/nFS2UhtCI8
— Trevor Ncube (@TrevorNcube) November 19, 2017
Mugabe: "Goodnight"
Journos and political editors everywhere: pic.twitter.com/5GjzPhZE1A— Gugulethu Mhlungu (@GugsM) November 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/Lambo_Th/status/932330623850700801
Not a fan of Mugabe, but his mental toughness is beyond immense… Military turned on him going on three days, all the odds stacked against him, and yet, he's refused to budge…
— Mr. Aye Dee (@MrAyeDee) November 17, 2017
Zimbabwe has more plot twists than Game of Thrones
— CurateZim (@CurateZim) November 19, 2017
When u bought data 2 stream d biggest resignation speech eva only to hea Mans say he will preside over congress nxt week! #Mugabe #Zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/i5a43oYNfJ
— ★U know u wnt dt D! (@derywine) November 19, 2017
I’m this man right now #mugabe #zimbabwe pic.twitter.com/9kUljzYfg9
— Nyasha J G (@nyashajg) November 19, 2017
Zimbabwe military looking at Mugabe like pic.twitter.com/HPD6kDx1BX
— Son of Ng'etuk (@OneSantuz) November 19, 2017
