Thousands of exuberant demonstrators are walking through Harare's streets Saturday demanding that President Robert Mugabe step down from office. Signs they are carrying say "Mugabe must go!" and "Not coup but cool."
The military that has stopped such demonstrations in the capital in the past is now supporting the protests, directing demonstrators to the Zimbabwe Grounds where speeches will be made by a number of activists, politicians, and former freedom fighters calling for the president to resign.
The Zimbabwe Grounds is a symbolic location. It is where Zimbabweans welcomed Mugabe back from exile in 1980 after the liberation war from white minority rule.
Demonstrations are being held in other cities around the country also calling for an end to Mugabe's rule.
Mugabe, 93, is reported to be resisting demands from the army, members of his own ZANU-PF party, and political activists to step down after 37 years in power.
The Zimbabwe Defense Forces seized key state institutions Wednesday, confined Mugabe to house arrest and clamped down on those they termed thieves surrounding the president, including Professor Jonathan Moyo, Home Affairs Minister Ignatius Chombo, Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, ZANU-PF Youth League secretary Kudzanayi Chipanga and several others.
The detainees, who are in army barracks, are said to be members of a faction of the ruling party that were seeking to elevate first lady Grace Mugabe to the post of vice president. President Mugabe fired his longtime ally, Emmerson Mnangagwa, from the position on November 5th.
Mugabe made a public appearance Friday, his first since the military took over state institutions and opened talks aimed at getting the aged leader to resign.
Mugabe, wearing a blue and yellow academic gown, presided over a university graduation ceremony for more than 1,000 students in Harare. The president appeared to fall asleep at times and said nothing about the ongoing political uncertainty.
成千上万群情激昂的示威者周六走上津巴布韦首都哈拉雷的街头，要求总统穆加贝辞职。他们手持的标语写着：“穆加贝必须下台！”以及“不是政变，而是真棒”。
过去在哈拉雷制止此类示威游行的军队如今却在支持抗议活动，引导示威者前往“津巴布韦场”，一些活动人士、政界人士以及前自由战士将在那里发表演讲，要求穆加贝辞职。
“津巴布韦场”是个具有象征意义的地方。1980年，在为摆脱白人少数群体统治而进行的解放战争之后，津巴布韦人民就是在这个地方欢迎流亡在外的穆加贝归来。
在津巴布韦其它城市进行的示威活动也要求结束穆加贝的统治。
在掌权37年后，现年93岁的穆加贝据报在抗拒军方、他自己所在的政党“非洲民族联盟-爱国阵线（ZANU-PF）”的成员以及政治活动人士提出的要他辞职的要求。
津巴布韦国防军周三控制了关键的国家机关，将穆加贝软禁在家中，并且对那些他们称之为总统周围的盗贼的人进行压制，包括乔纳森·梅约教授、内政部长伊格内修斯·琼博、地方政府部长萨维尔·卡苏库维尔以及非洲民族联盟-爱国阵线青年联盟秘书长库扎纳伊·奇庞加等人。
这些人被关押在军营里，据说他们是执政党内一个试图支持第一夫人格蕾丝·穆加贝成为副总统的派别的成员。总统穆加贝11月5日将其长期盟友、前副总统姆南加古瓦免职。
自军方接管国家机关并且开始旨在让穆加贝辞职的对话后，穆加贝于周五首次公开露面。
穆加贝当时身着蓝色和黄色的学术礼袍，主持哈拉雷一所大学1000多名学生的毕业典礼。穆加贝在仪式上几次打瞌睡，对当前充满不确定性的政局闭口不谈。