UPDATE - Zimbabwe army takes control of Harare, denies coup

UPDATES WITH FURTHER DETAIL OF STATEMENT, BACKGROUND

By Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AA) - Military officers appeared on television early Wednesday to make a statement saying they were “targeting criminals” around President Robert Mugabe.

Hours earlier, soldiers had seized control of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation in the capital, Harare.

Spokesman Maj. Gen. Sibusiso Moyo said the military were not taking power and told viewers the president and his family were safe and their security was “guaranteed”.

“As soon as we have accomplished our mission we expect that the situation will return to normalcy,” he said, adding: “We wish to make this abundantly clear this is not a military takeover of government.”

Referring to Mugabe, who has held power since 1980, he said: “We are only targeting criminals around him who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.”

On Tuesday evening, rumors of a coup or military show of force circulated as tanks and armored vehicles were seen heading towards Harare.

As well as the TV station, the military also sealed off the presidential offices with tanks.

- Succession

Speaking from a written statement, Moyo told soldiers that all leave was cancelled and ordered them to return to barracks.

He urged the public remain calm and limit unnecessary movement but to continue normal life as much as possible.

“Our wish is that you will enjoy your rights and freedoms and that we return our country to a dispensation that allows for investment, development and prosperity that we all fought for and for which many of our citizens paid the supreme sacrifice,” he said.

The military’s intervention came after a period of unrest within Mugabe’s ruling Zanu-PF. Last week, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was sacked amid a dispute over who would succeed the 93-year-old president.

Mnangagwa had previously been seen as Mugabe’s successor but was replaced by the president’s wife, Grace Mugabe, as the favorite, resulting in a split in the Zanu-PF.

The vice president’s removal led on Monday to army chief Gen. Constantino Chiwenga warning that the military was prepared to intervene to end purges within the party.

He warned against targeting “members of the party with a liberation background” -- a reference to Zimbabwe’s struggle against white minority rule in the 1970s. Mnangagwa is a veteran of the liberation war.

This led to the party accusing Chiwenga of “treasonable conduct”.