‘I thank you and good night,’ Zimbabwe’s Mugabe ends speech without resigning

World Today

Robert MugabeDisappointed Zimbabweans watch a televised address to the nation by President Robert Mugabe at a bar in downtown Harare, Zimbabwe Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017. Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has baffled the country by ending his address on national television without announcing his resignation. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe defied expectations he would resign on Sunday, pledging to preside over a ZANU-PF congress next month even though the ruling party had removed him as its leader hours earlier.

VIDEO: Farai Mwakutuya has more from the capital:

ZANU-PF had given the 93-year-old less than 24 hours to quit as head of state or face impeachment, an attempt to secure a peaceful end to his tenure after a de facto coup.

Mugabe said in an address on state television that he acknowledged criticism against him from ZANU-PF, the military and the public, but did not comment on the possibility of standing down.


Thomas Dempsey discusses Robert Mugabe’s refusal to resign

In a televised address to the nation on Sunday, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe defied most observers and did not resign. The military placed him under arrest several days prior, and his own Zanu-PF political party removed him as its head. Thomas Dempsey, a consultant specialized in security and rule-of-law in Sub-Saharan Africa, discusses with CGTN’s Wang Guan.


Story by Reuters and CGTN America.