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Harare calm as Zuma calls meeting over Zimbabwe situation (Lead)
Johannesburg/Harare, Nov 16 (IANS) South Africa’s President and Chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Jacob Zuma on Thursday called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation in Zimbabwe following a surprise military takeover.
The future of Robert Mugabe’s 37-year stint as Zimbabwe President remained uncertain as the nonagenarian ruler was still under house arrest and the whereabouts of his wife, Grace, were as yet unconfirmed after the Zimbabwe Defence Forces apparently seized power of the country.
There were reports that Mugabe is resisting pressure to resign as President, the BBC said.
According to a statement released by the SADC, the emergency meeting called by Zuma is to take place at 3 p.m. in Botswana’s capital Gaborone and will involve the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation for South Africa and the Foreign Ministers of Angola, Tanzania and Zambia.
Zuma has urged the Zimbabwean ZANU-PF government and the ZDF “to resolve the political impasse amicably”.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean opposition politician Douglas Mwonzora told the BBC earlier that the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) was open to transition talks.
Morgan Tsvangirai, who leads the MDC-T, was reportedly returning to Zimbabwe from South Africa, where he has been receiving treatment for colon cancer.
Calm prevailed over the Zimbabwe’s capital on Thursday morning despite the ongoing tension after the apparent military intervention against Mugabe’s government, Efe news reported.
Traffic returned to normal, roadblocks that had been installed in the Mount Pleasant diplomatic area a day before were removed and classes resumed in schools. There were armoured vehicles and soldiers on the streets of central Harare.
Chairman of the Public Service Commission and Service Commissions, Mariyawanda Nzuwah, urged officials to continue reporting for work, according to the state newspaper The Herald.
“As is always the norm, all public servants are expected to report for duty every day and timely and to provide services to all the people of Zimbabwe,” said Nzuwah, who said public servants, including Army personnel, would be paid on time.
Tensions erupted in Zimbabwe when Mugabe fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week in an apparent bid to clear the path for First Lady Grace to eventually take the reins of the presidency.
Mnangagwa, a war veteran who had been a powerful figure within the ruling ZANU-PF party, was seen as the most likely successor to long-serving 93-year-old Mugabe.
On Tuesday, tanks could be seen moving towards Harare and the Army soon took over the state TV channel from where a spokesman issued a statement to the nation, insisting that they were not involved in a military coup and ensuring the safety of the Mugabes.
Mugabe has presided the country since overthrowing British control in 1980.
It is one of the most impoverished nations in the region and is subject to hyper-inflation rates that have crippled the country’s economy.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.