The Zimbabwean army has detained the country's finance minister, Ignatius Chombo, just hours after taking power to root out "evil elements" in President Robert Mugabe's environment, which he says are causing social and economic country, said a source close to the government.
Chombo is one of the leaders of the so-called "G40" trend in the ruling ZANU-PF party, led by President Mugabe's wife, Grace, who wants to succeed the 93-year-old president.
Earlier, senior military officials denied that a military coup had taken place in the country in a televised address, effectively confirming the seizure of power, and said President Mugabe was "safe and sound".
The general, who made the speech, said that "normalcy" will return to the country as soon as the armed forces complete their "mission".
