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African press review 26 July 2016

The future of Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe hangs in the balance according to several African papers as war veterans who have long underpinned his power abandon him. And Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari says he won’t balk at prosecuting corrupt loyalists.

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Is Mugabe facing his Waterloo,'Asks the South African Mail & Guardian alongside a picture of the Zimbabwean president - adding "President is vulnerable after loyal allies abandon him".

A story continued in South Africa’s Business Day which warns “War veterans spell bad news for Mugabe”, after war vet's – once President Robert Mugabe’s most loyal allies – decided to cut ties with him last week, branding him “dictatorial” - and demanding his political exit.

This may well signal the beginning of the end for the 91-year-old leader the paper tips - with Mugabe already buckling under pressure of public discontent, as the country slips “deeper and deeper into an economic crisis”.

Relations between Mugabe and the war veterans have been strained for months it reports. The vets have labelled Mugabe "manipulative", and declared they would not support him in the next elections.

In March, police launched tear gas and fired water cannons at them for gathering for an unauthorised meeting. The vets recent attempts to buy into the party’s succession race earned a strong rebuke from Mugabe, who warned they risked suffering the fate of the mid-1980s "dissidents".

Will the military step in?

This “may force Zimbabwe’s military to show its hand, sooner, rather than later", the report continues. The war veterans’ association has strong links to Zimbabwe’s military, and last week it reminded Mugabe it was the veterans’ support during the liberation war that elevated him to the leadership of Zanu PF in the late 1970s.

Despite that the vets say the president has done them wrong - the relationship is irreparable – and they no longer want to prop up his leadership.

ANC Western Cape leader turns to High Court

The South AfricanMail & Guardianreports on the case of "the embattled" African National Congress Western Cape leader, Marius Fransman, who will head to court in a bid to regain his position in the ANC.

The ANC asked Fransman to step down earlier this year in the wake of sexual assault allegations against him. The party launched an investigation into claims he sexually assaulted his former assistant Louisa Wynand while the matter is being investigated by police.

Fransman apparently reported for work on Monday after issuing a statement at the weekend saying he was resuming his duties. Meantime, he has asked the Western Cape High Court to intervene in his struggle to be reinstated.

President Buhari not soft on corrupt loyalists

Punch of Nigeria reports President Muhammadu Buhari as saying he won’t flinch at prosecuting party loyalists or those who supported his 2015 Presidency bid - if they are found to be corrupt. In an interview, says the paper. Buhari denied claims that he had been sparing those who sponsored his campaigns, or members of his All Progressives Congress – and said he would come down hard on any of his backers if corruption cases are established against them, as part of his ongoing anti-corruption war.
 

“If any of my backers or party members has anything established against them, let’s see whether I will shield anyone from prosecution,” Buhari said – adding that first the accusations would be fully investigated before cases are established and prosecutions made.
 

Pastor kidnapped in Lagos State

Punch also reports that kidnappers of a Lagos pastor have demanded 100 million Naira – the equivalent of 300,000 thousand euros. Kayode Bajomo, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, was kidnapped on Sunday by men disguised as new church members at Isawo near the city of Ikorodu.

And briefly the South African Business Day also reports that the UN has warned that the conflict and fighting in Libya is preventing nearly 300,000 children from attending school across. A new report shows 558 schools across various regions of Libya are non-functional.

While in finance news, it writes, pan African property owner, Mara Delta, will invest a further100 million euros in Mozambique. The company has, since 2014, invested in six commercial properties in Mozambique, valued at 150 millions – and has now acquired an additional four – as it invests in long-term growth prospects in Mozambique’s emerging economy.

 

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