Mugabe On The Way Out?

I sincerely hope that this report from the BBC is true.  It would be a cruel April Fools Day hoax for Zimbabwe.

Other outlets have the story.  Here's hoping.

"HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe is ready to step down after he accepted he failed to win the country's presidential election, a senior source in his ruling party and diplomats told AFP Tuesday.

An official in Mugabe's ZANU-PF party said the long-ruling president was prepared to step down but was still trying to win agreement from the army's chief of staff Constantine Chiwenga.

"He is prepared to step down because he doesn't want to embarrass himself by going to a run-off," the source said on condition of anonymity.

"There is only one person still blocking him, the army chief of staff."

Two senior diplomats in the capital Harare meanwhile confirmed that a deal had been done for Mugabe to step aside in favour of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai.

"Everything indicates that Mugabe will leave power smoothly," said one of the sources.

More: The BBC retracts.  Not April Fools, Just sloppy reporting.

Comments

[David Corbett]

Dear Berks. ,
I hate when BBC misleads us ! We were just getting ready to link arms and sing "Rhodesians Never Die ! " . Oh well , perhaps another day .
cordially ,
David Corbett