By A Correspondent

Power struggles within Zanu PF have exposed the dynamics behind the November 2017 coup that ousted the late President Robert Mugabe.

Emerging details suggest that President Emmerson Mnangagwa used his -deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, to lead the coup that ultimately secured Mnangagwa’s rise to power.

At the time of the coup, Chiwenga was the commander of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

Just weeks before the military intervention, Mugabe had fired Mnangagwa, prompting him to flee the country with the assistance of the military, eventually seeking refuge in South Africa.

Mugabe’s intent was clear—he wanted to jail Mnangagwa and charge him with treason for plotting against him.

However, Mnangagwa, who had been collaborating with the military for some time, leveraged Chiwenga to trigger the coup.

Chiwenga himself was also a target of Mugabe’s crackdown.

During the coup, Mnangagwa reportedly struck a gentleman’s agreement with the military, promising to rule for two terms before handing power to Chiwenga.

However, recent developments indicate that Mnangagwa is now mobilizing against Chiwenga, signalling his intent to breach that agreement.

These revelations suggest that Chiwenga, rather than being the driving force behind the coup, was merely a pawn in Mnangagwa’s strategy to ascend to the highest office in the land.