Fired Zimbabwean VP refuses to honour Mugabe's invitation,tells him to resign immediately

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe should acknowledge the nation’s “insatiable desire” for a leadership change and resign immediately, the recently fired vice president and likely successor to the 93-year-old leader said Tuesday.

Emmerson Mnangagwa, who was dismissed earlier this month, also said in a statement that he will not return to Zimbabwe until “satisfied of my personal security,” alleging that there had been plans to kill him.

“The people of Zimbabwe have spoken with one voice and it is my appeal to President Mugabe that he should take heed of this clarion call and resign forthwith so that the country can move forward and preserve his legacy,” Mnangagwa said.

He confirmed that Mugabe has invited him to return “for a discussion” on the recent events. But “given the events that followed my dismissal I cannot trust my life in President Mugabe’s hands.”

The ruling ZANU-PF party is demanding that Mugabe resign and wants Mnangagwa, a former longtime ally of the president, to replace him.