Harare – Zimbabweans have been left angered and confused after President Robert Mugabe failed to resign, but instead delivered a cryptic speech. 

They had gathered around televisions in anticipation of Mugabe’s resignation, but instead were made to wait nearly two hours for his address on the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).

“Indeed, the current criticism raised against me by the command element and some of its members has a reason for a well-founded perception that the party was stretching or even failing,” Mugabe said. 

Mugabe said open public spats between high ranking party officials made the criticisms levelled against him and the party inseparable. 

During Mugabe’s drawn out speech, people huddled around televisions, some were jeering his comments. 

‘Quite understandable’

The embattled 93-year-old president instead rambled through an incoherent speech, where he insisted he would still be presiding over the extraordinary congress scheduled for December. 

“Zanu-PF is a party of traditions… that share ideals and values,” he said. 

Mugabe admitted the country had been going through a tough economic patch.

“Giving the failings of the past and the anger it might have triggered in some quarters, it is quite understandable,” he said. 

“We must learn to forgive and resolve contradictions,” he said as people gathered in a local bar again jeered him. 

Mugabe said the country couldn’t be guided by bitterness and vengefulness, but instead Zimbabweans must learn to forgive and resolve their contradictions, whether real or perceived. 

‘I’m so angry’

Without announcing his much-anticipated resignation, Mugabe ended his speech with a “Good night”. 

Those gathered around television sets were left stunned. 

“I’m so angry. I thought we were gonna be here tonight celebrating. But instead he said nothing,” said one man at a bar in Harare. 

Another man, who only gave his name as Tawanda, described Mugabe’s announcement as a “show of defiance”. 

“This guy thinks we are fools. All this was a show of defiance. He’s a show guy,” he said. 
“We were all optimistic, that he’ll resign. But that’s all nonsense,” he said. 

“To be honest, I didn’t expect him to resign. I was hoping he would, but I didn’t expect it would happen,” Tawanda said. 

‘Defiant bugger’

He described Mugabe as “a wounded animal” and said he believed the president knew his time was up. 

“He’s a defiant bugger. But he’s been defiant to the detriment of 15 million Zimbabweans tonight,” he said. 

Another man said he was “livid” by Mugabe’s speech. 

Earlier on Sunday, Zanu-PF held a special central committee meeting, where it was resolved that Mugabe had been recalled as party president. 

The party announced Mugabe had until noon on Monday to resign, otherwise he would be impeached on Tuesday.