By A Correspondent-Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa has revealed that the dramatic military coup that ousted the late President Robert Mugabe in November 2017 was sparked by a move to arrest the country’s top military leaders, including then-ZDF Commander and current Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga.
According to Mutsvangwa, the man behind the attempted arrests was none other than Retired Lieutenant General Happyton Bonyongwe, Mugabe’s longtime spy chief and Justice Minister at the time. He described Bonyongwe’s political manoeuvres as the “final straw” that forced the Zimbabwe Defence Forces to intervene in what became known as Operation Restore Legacy.
“Had Bonyongwe succeeded in detaining the military command, Mugabe would have secured power for Grace Mugabe and the G40 faction,” Mutsvangwa claimed, in a stunning disclosure that sheds new light on the final days of Mugabe’s 37-year rule.
Mugabe the “Dynastic Pretender”
Mutsvangwa did not mince words in his critique of Mugabe, branding the former leader a “dynastic pretender” who had abandoned the ideals of the liberation struggle in favour of a personal and family agenda. He accused Mugabe of trying to hand over the reins of power to his wife, Grace Mugabe, through the controversial G40 faction, which had gained prominence in the ruling party.
A Coup Years in the Making
The events of November 2017 did not erupt overnight. They were the culmination of years of escalating factionalism within Zanu PF, pitting the military-aligned Lacoste faction—loyal to Emmerson Mnangagwa—against the youthful and ambitious G40 camp backing Grace Mugabe.
For years, Mnangagwa, a liberation war veteran with strong ties to Zimbabwe’s security establishment, was widely considered Mugabe’s natural successor. But by late 2017, that path was being blocked.
In October 2017, Mnangagwa was sacked from both government and Zanu PF, accused of plotting against Mugabe. He fled the country—reportedly with the help of military allies—and issued a defiant warning that the “revolution had been hijacked by counter-revolutionaries.”
Just weeks after Mnangagwa’s ouster, Mugabe reshuffled his Cabinet, bringing in Bonyongwe—then Director-General of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO)—as Justice Minister. The move was interpreted as part of a strategy to sideline the military and concentrate power in the hands of civilian intelligence and G40 loyalists.
The Arrest Attempt That Backfired
It was during this high-stakes political chess game that Bonyongwe allegedly made his move to arrest military leaders, including Chiwenga. The attempt, according to Mutsvangwa, backfired spectacularly.
The military viewed the arrests not just as political overreach, but as a direct threat to institutional survival. Fearing the neutralization of the armed forces and the imposition of a G40-led dynasty, the army launched Operation Restore Legacy on 15 November 2017.
Tanks rolled into Harare. Soldiers seized key state institutions. Mugabe was placed under house arrest as negotiations began behind the scenes. South African envoys and Catholic clergy attempted to mediate, but Mugabe refused to resign.
It was only after Parliament initiated impeachment proceedings and thousands of Zimbabweans flooded the streets in support of the army that Mugabe finally stepped down on 21 November 2017.
Days later, Mnangagwa returned from exile and was sworn in as President.
Legacy of the Coup
To Zanu PF and the military, the 2017 coup was a patriotic act to “restore the revolution.” To critics, it was merely a factional power grab that swapped one elite ruling clique for another.
Until now, Bonyongwe’s role in the coup had remained largely speculative. Mutsvangwa’s revelations—coming nearly eight years later—paint a picture of deep divisions within Zimbabwe’s security and intelligence services, and suggest that internal battles among top commanders were just as pivotal as public discontent in bringing Mugabe’s rule to an end.