Zimbabwe latest: Robert Mugabe will be forced to hand power to sacked vice president to make 'coup' appear legal, experts claim

Zimbabwe: Experts have said Mugabe may be forced to had power to his sacked vice president
Reuters

Zimbabwe’s leader Robert Mugabe could be forced to hand power to the country’s sacked vice president to make the “coup” appear legal, experts claim.

Derek Matyszak, an analyst at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies, said he thinks the army will now be negotiating with the country’s president.

It comes after military leader General Constantine Chiwenga issued a threat to "step in" and calm political tensions after Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa - favourite to succeed Mr Mugabe - was fired.

Zimbabwe's state broadcaster was taken over by the military
AFP/Getty Images

Security expert Mr Matysak said the “brief” reappointment of Mnangagwa before Mugabe retires would be the “easiest way” to make the takeover seem legal.

“I think the army are in negotiations with Mugabe and Mnangagwa,” he told AFP news agency.

“The easiest way to present a veneer of legality is that Mugabe reappoints Mnangagwa as vice president, briefly - Mugabe then retires.”

President Mugabe, who has been in charge of the country for 37 years, is understood to be "fine" but confined to his home.

His wife Grace has fled the country for Namibia, according to reports.

The army took over the national state broadcaster ZBC and explosions were heard in the country's capital of Harare on Tuesday night.

President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace Mugabe who have been seized by the army in Zimbabwe
Reuters

But the military has denied it carried out a coup, instead calling it a "bloodless correction". The army said it seized control to stop "criminals surrounding the president" from taking over.

Armed soldiers in armoured personnel carriers were stationed at key points in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare, and soldiers patrolled the streets.

It is not known whether the military takeover will bring a formal end to Mr Mugabe's rule.

He is the world's oldest head of state and one of the longest-serving authoritarian rulers.

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