'It's not my duty to name my successor,' says Mugabe
Harare – President Robert Mugabe, 93, has reportedly engaged the Minister of War Veterans Tshinga Dube over the succession issue, telling him that he had not named his successor "as that was the prerogative of the Congress".
Dube recently urged Mugabe to name or groom his successor in-order to put a stop to the continued factional fights in his ruling Zanu-PF party.
Two distinct camps have emerged in Zimbabwe’s revolutionary party in recent years, as factions seek to outwit each other in the race to succeed the 93 year-old leader. Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is allegedly leading a faction that is angling to succeed Mugabe calling itself "Team Lacoste", while another grouping made up of young Turks, commonly known as Generation 40 and backing First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her ageing husband, wants to torpedo Mnangagwa’s presidential ambitions.
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Zim to boost bond notes, as cash woes mount – report
Harare - As Zimbabwe’s cash crisis worsens, top banking officials say there are plans to boost a bond note facility, reports said on Sunday.
Bond notes were introduced in November backed by a $200 million loan from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). The small denomination notes and coins have no value outside Zimbabwe.
Afreximbank’s president, Benedict Oramah told the private Standard newspaper at a meeting in Rwanda this week that negotiations are under way to review the facility.
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EXCLUSIVE: Evicted white Zim farmer's employees want him back
Rusape – More than 150 farm-workers and their families have been rendered homeless following last week’s forceful eviction of a white commercial farmer, Robert Smart, from his property by armed police and a gang of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's ruling Zanu-PF party youths outside Rusape town.
The tobacco and maize grower was evicted to reportedly pave way for a top cleric, Trevor Manhanga, who has links with Mugabe’s party, despite opposition from the local community under the Tandi chieftainship.
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PICS: Mugabe hands over $1m donation to AU from cattle sales
Addis Ababa - President Robert Mugabe on Monday handed over a cheque for $1 million to the African Union, after he and his supporters sold hundreds of cattle in support of the continental body.
At the opening ceremony of the AU's heads of state and government meeting in Addis Ababa on Monday morning, Mugabe said his initial pledge of 300 cattle to the bloc two years ago had caught on among his party and people.
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SA man among hostages in video released by al-Qaeda-linked Mali extremists
Dakar – An al-Qaeda-linked group in Mali has released a proof-of-life video showing six foreign hostages, including a South African man, shortly before French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the country for an anti-terror summit, a group that monitors jihadist communications says.
The recently formed Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen issued the video on Saturday on Telegram, the SITE Intelligence Group said.
The video shows Stephen McGowan of South Africa, Elliot Kenneth Arthur of Australia, Iulian Ghergut of Romania, Beatrice Stockly of Switzerland, Gloria Cecilia Narvaez of Colombia and Sophie Petronin of France.
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Nigeria's First Lady to visit ailing husband in London
Abuja - The wife of ailing Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has left the country to visit him in London after first attending an African Union event, her office said.
Aisha Buhari's office said late on Sunday that she was first heading to the AU summit in Addis Ababa for a "symbolic appearance" at a leaders' wives meeting.
She will then head to Britain on Tuesday, a statement said, adding: ""She will convey to the president the best wishes of Nigerians and their fervent prayers for his quick recovery."
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Angola's president returns to Spain amid health concerns
Johannesburg - The office of Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos says the longtime leader has departed for Spain, where he recently spent several weeks amid reports of health problems.
The Portuguese news agency Lusa quotes the office as saying the 74-year-old dos Santos left on Monday for Barcelona on what was described as a "private visit."
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