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• Ousted finance minister denied bail
Zimbabwe has officially declared 21 February to be Robert Gabriel Mugabe National Youth Day, thereby making the former president’s birthday a public holiday, the Herald newspaper reported.
Calls for the former president’s birthday to be made a national holiday were adopted by the government in August, following intense lobbying by the Zanu-PF Youth League, the Herald reports. The decision was officially recorded on Friday, it adds.
Last week, President Mnangagwa said the former president needed to be given the respect and recognition he deserved as one of the founders and leaders of Zimbabwe. “To me personally, he remains a father, mentor, comrade-in-arms and my leader,” he said during his acceptance speech at his inauguration on Friday.
Reports that Mugabe was granted $10m (£7.5m) to ease him out of office have not been confirmed. There is speculation as to whether Mnangagwa will select a broad-based government or keep figures from the Mugabe era. He is expected to form a cabinet this week. Mugabe resigned last week after a military intervention and days of mass protests.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s ousted Finance Minister Ignatius Chombo, charged with three counts of corruption, has been refused bail by a magistrate. Mr Chombo is the first minister from the former Mugabe regime to be charged.
The magistrate ruled his life could be in danger if he is released on bail, as he could be attacked by the public. There was also the risk that Chombo could abscond because of Zimbabwe’s porous borders, the magistrate said. Chombo’s lawyer said he would appeal against the ruling.
He is accused of trying to defraud the central bank, among other things. He was among a group of Mugabe loyalists detained by the military when it took power earlier this month, bringing an end to Robert Mugabe’s 37-year rule.He was allegedly badly assaulted, and was admitted to hospital for treatment.
Two ousted leaders of the ruling Zanu-PF’s youth wing, Kudzanai Chipanga and Innocent Hamandishe, were also denied bail following their arrest during a military operation aimed at targeting alleged criminals around Mugabe.
