Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe on Tuesday made his first public reaction to British press reports of alleged plans to force him out of office, under a scheme involving his close political aides.
”I am not used to answering questions about nightmares which are dreamt in Britain at Number 10 Downing Street. I only heard about that in the paper, there is no truth in it,” Mugabe said in response to a question at a news conference here.
Britain’s Times newspaper reported on Monday that a scheme had been hatched by senior officials in Mugabe’s ruling Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu-PF) to guarantee him immunity from prosecution for alleged human rights abuses in return for his resignation and exile abroad.
”Only a few months ago, the people elected me to serve them and it will be absolutely counter-revolutionary and foolhardy for me to step down,” said Mugabe who is visiting for a ceremony to honour the founding president of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda for his role in the liberation struggle against British rule.
The Times said under the plan, a government of national unity would be created after Mugabe’s departure and organise elections at the end of a two-year transition period.
Both Mugabe’s party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which was also reportedly part of the plot, distanced themselves from the scheme.
Zanu-PF described the alleged plan as ”wishful thinking and mischief” on the part of Britain, the former colonial power in Zimbabwe. – Sapa-AFP