Zimbabwe’s Military Pushes Mugabe Aside

Zimbabwe’s Military Pushes Mugabe Aside
An armed soldier patrols a street in Harare, Zimbabwe, Nov. 15, 2017 (AP photo).

In what appeared to have all the makings of a coup, Zimbabwe’s military took control of the capital, Harare, early Wednesday and was said to be holding 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe in custody. The move comes one week after Mugabe fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who had previously been seen as a potential successor, in what was widely viewed as an attempt to ease the path to power for his wife, Grace. To help put the takeover in context, WPR has collected eight articles tracing the recent evolution of power dynamics in Zimbabwe.

The following eight articles are free to nonsubscribers until Nov. 29.

The Question of Succession

Zimbabwe Infighting Opens Mugabe Succession Battle

Despite Zimbabwe Purge, Mugabe Succession Still Far From Certain
The Elephant in the Room: Zimbabwe’s Ongoing Succession Crisis

The Opposition’s Revival

As Turmoil Sparks the Largest Protests in Years, Where Is Zimbabwe Headed?
Does a New Opposition Coalition in Zimbabwe Have Any Hope of Defeating Mugabe?
Will Zimbabwe’s Latest Opposition Alliance Outdo Its Predecessors?

The Coup in Context

Why the Military Continues to Cast a Long Shadow Over African Politics
From Liberation to Ossification: Southern Africa’s Ruling Parties Hold On