Zimbabwean military returns power to police

Zimbabwe’s military, which staged a peaceful coup on November 15, ousting former President Robert Mugabe, returned power to the national police on Monday.

According to a joint statement by the army and police, because “normalcy” had returned to the country following Friday’s swearing-in of President Emmerson Mnanagagwa, who replaced Mugabe after 37 years in power, the military would “resume its normal duties.”

The police would recommence “its role as stipulated in the constitution,” said ACP Charity Charamba.

However, Charamba said police and army forces would conduct joint patrols in the capital, Harare, mainly to prevent looting and illegal occupation of property.

The military had been in control of the southern African nation since the coup on November 15.