Army transfers power to police in Zimbabwe

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

A joint statement by the army and police based the decision on the return of “normalcy” following Friday’s swearing-in of President Emmerson Mnanagagwa.

Mnanagagwa replaced Mugabe who spent 37 years in power. The military said it would “resume its normal duties”.

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

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