Zimbabwe: With Mugabe ‘Retired’, ‘Crocodile’ is at Helm

The former deputy of Robert Mugabe, Emmerson Mnangagwa will swear in as the President of Zimbabwe on Friday. Few weeks back, he was thrown out by the then President Mugabe, who had accused Mnangagwa of ‘treachery’. The event led to one of the biggest political impasses the country had ever witnessed. Last Tuesday, the Zimbabwean Defence Force organised a ‘coup’ against 93 yr old Mugabe who had ruled the country since its independence.

Mnangagwa, also known as the ‘Crocodile’ is a 75-year-old liberation war veteran and stalwart of the ruling Zanu-PF party. According to reports, he was considered to be the successor of Mugabe. The situation took an unexpected turn after Mugabe said his wife Grace will be succeeding him.

After the military takeover, the country witnessed a political drama for days as Mugabe played cat and mouse game around his resignation. Finally, at the parliament session called to discuss his impeachment, he agreed to resign.

Mnangagwa arrived from Johannesburg at a military airbase in Harare on Wednesday afternoon and travelled directly to the Zanu-PF headquarters where a crowd of several hundred had gathered to hear his first speech as president-in-waiting, according to the Guardian.

Mnangagwa thanked Zimbabweans and the military for their support. He immediately pledged to serve the people, saying all Zimbabweans need to unite and grow the economy for employment creation.

"We want peace in our country, we want jobs for our people," he said.

Zimbabwe, he further said, was witnessing the founding of new democracy after the military helped to depose long-serving former president Mugabe from power.

He also praised the military for the peaceful manner in which it handled its operation that culminated in Mugabe resigning Tuesday, ending 37 years of his grip on power.

Mnangagwa alleged that he had survived many attempts on his life by Mugabe's administration, including his poisoning in August while at a ZANU-PF rally.

According to Moses Tofa, Mnangagwa rose to vice president in 2014 following Joyce Mujuru’s expulsion. Tofa notes:

“Many people believed that the expulsion of Mujuru was easy for President Mugabe because Mujuru was powerless, especially considering that her husband had not only died, but had died under suspicious circumstances. After his ascendancy, Mnangagwa continued to fight in the succession trenches under the banner team ‘Lacoste’.”

But many in the country are apprehensive of Mnangagwa’s rise. A Zanu-PF official posed an interesting question when asked about Mr Mnangagwa's prospects: "You think Mugabe is bad, but have you thought that whoever comes after him could be even worse?"

Mr Mnangagwa's reputation as ‘the Crocodile’ was attached to his alleged ruthless methods as country’s intelligence head. Zimbabwe had witnessed a civil war which broke out in the 1980s between Mr Mugabe's Zanu party and the Zapu party of Joshua Nkomo.

As National Security Minister, Mr Mnangagwa was in charge of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), which worked hand in glove with the army to suppress Zapu.

According to reports, thousands of innocent civilians - mainly ethnic Ndebeles, seen as Zapu supporters - were killed before the two parties merged to form Zanu-PF.

(with inputs from IANS)