Fate of Zimbabwe's Mugabe hangs in the balance amid coup confusion
Robert Mugabe
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabeâs fate hung in the balance on Friday as he apparently resisted efforts to step down in the wake of an audacious seizure of power by the army  until this week a key pillar of his 37-year-rule.
FILE PHOTO: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe watches a video presentation during the summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Johannesburg  South Africa August 17  2008. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo
The unfolding drama in the capital Harare was thrown into confusion when a smiling  Mugabe  was pictured shaking hands with Zimbabweâs military chief  the man behind the coup  raising questions about whether or not the end of an era was nigh.
Youth washes a minibus adorned with picture of President Robert Mugabe at a bus terminus in Harare. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo
The armyâs takeover signaled the collapse in less than 36 hours of the security  intelligence and patronage networks that sustained  Mugabe  through almost four decades in power and built  him  into the âGrand Old Manâ of African politics.
 Mugabe  is still seen by many Africans as a liberation hero. But  he  is reviled in the West as a despot whose disastrous handling of the economy and willingness to resort to violence to maintain power pauperized one of Africaâs most promising states.
[TGT]  hung in the balance on Friday as  [TGT]  apparently resisted efforts to step down in the wake of an audacious seizure of power by the army  until this week a key pillar of  [TGT]  37-year-rule.
FILE PHOTO:  [TGT]  watches a video presentation during the summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in Johannesburg  South Africa August 17  2008. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/File Photo
The unfolding drama in the capital  [TGT]  was thrown into confusion when a smiling   [TGT] was pictured shaking hands with Zimbabweâs military chief  the man behind the coup  raising questions about whether or not the end of an era was nigh.
Youth washes a minibus adorned with picture of  [TGT]  at a bus terminus in  [TGT] . REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo
The armyâs takeover signaled the collapse in less than 36 hours of the security  intelligence and patronage networks that sustained  Mugabe  through almost four decades in power and built  him  into the âGrand Old Manâ of African politics.
  [TGT] is still seen by many Africans as a liberation hero. But   [TGT]   is reviled in the West as a despot whose disastrous handling of the economy and willingness to resort to violence to maintain power pauperized one of Africaâs most promising states.