Harare (November 24, 2017): Zimbabwe’s former president Robert Mugabe and his wife have been granted immunity, the military spokesperson said on Thursday, allowing the couple to remain in the country.
Col. Overson Mugwisi, a spokesman for the Zimbabwean Defense Forces, said that an agreement had been reached with Mugabe that included immunity and a guarantee of safety for him and his wife. Mugabe resigned on Tuesday, in a historic moment that brought his 37 years of oppressive rule to an end.
The former leader has been accused of waging a campaign of fear to remain in power for nearly four decades and human rights activists have long called for him to be brought to justice.
He was accused of ordering a string of massacres in the early- to mid-1980s in opposition strongholds to consolidate his power. Up to 20,000 people were killed, academics say.
He has also been accused of corruption to finance his lavish lifestyle, as his government drove the once-prosperous nation into economic ruin and poverty.
Mugabe had spent a week negotiating his departure with the military since the country’s army seized control in the capital, Harare, and placed the leader under house arrest.
Mugabe’s former right-hand man, Emmerson Mnangagwa, returned to the country on Wednesday to take the reins as interim president, promising to take the nation into a “new and unfolding democracy.” He spoke in front of throngs of supporters, but made no mention of Mugabe’s future. Mnangagwa is scheduled to be sworn in on Friday.
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