“Former president Mugabe told me that he is happy with the treatment he is receiving from the new regime led by Emmerson Mnangagwa.”
FORMER president Robert Mugabe has told a visiting African Union (AU) official that he resigned for the sake of peace and security in the country and is content with his new life out of power.
Visiting AU Commission chairperson Faki Mahamat said met Mugabe at his private home in Harare Tuesday.
The 94-year-old told the envoy that he is happy with way he is being treated by the Emmerson Mnangagwa government, contradicting claims of abuse by exiled former cabinet ministers Jonathan Moyo and Patrick Zhuwao.
“Since it was my first visit to the country I had to go and meet former president Robert Mugabe at his house,” the AU envoy told a press conference in the capital.
“And since Mugabe forms part of the heroes who fought for the liberation of our continent, we exchange views and I found him to be useful and he also explained why he had resigned.”
“He (Mugabe) told me that he had resigned for the sake of peace and development of the country and he agreed to go.
“So, we appreciate that very much; and we did discuss very much about it.”
Mugabe was forced to resign under military pressure last November, ending a 37-year in power since independence in 1980.
Loyalist former cabinet ministers Moyo and Zhuwao, the later also a nephew of the veteran leader, have claimed that Mugabe was being mistreated by the Mnangagwa administration.
Zhuwao repeated the allegation in an open letter this week after Mahamat met Mnangagwa and pronounced himself satisfied with the power transition in Harare.
However, the AU official said Mugabe told him he had no compliants about his treatment by the new government.
“Former president Mugabe told me that he was happy with the treatment he is receiving from the new regime led by Emmerson Mnangagwa,” said Mahamat.
The press conference was also attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusisio Moyo.
In #Harare for my first visit following the peaceful transition of power. #Zimbabwe is indeed open for business! Met with President @edmnangagwa and it was an honour to also pay a visit to former President Robert Mugabe. With thanks to foreign minister SB Moyo. #ED100days pic.twitter.com/5quQCEuRRS
— Moussa Faki Mahamat (@AUC_MoussaFaki) February 19, 2018
