Charles Mabhena, Peter Nyoni

Harare: In closing our series on how Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (ED), came to power through the help of the military, in what came to be known as the ‘soft coup d’état,’ we close with a run-down of events that preceded this major event.

In doing so as to give you, our readers, a true picture, your publication Zwnews has decided to give you the chronology of the events that in one way or the other, were linked or helped the execution of Mnangagwa’s long plan to the throne.

  • 2004 The Tsholotsho Declaration, a plan is hatched to topple Mugabe and replace him with ED.
  • December 2004 Joice Mujuru is appointed Vice President of Zimbabwe, supposedly meant to neutralise her husband Solomon, whom Mugabe thought was a threat to his continued rule.
  • 15 August 2011, Solomon Mujuru dies under unclear circumstances, when a house he was in was alleged to have caught fire resulting in his demise.
  • 8 December 2014, Joice Mujuru is fired from government under false allegations that she was planning to topple Mugabe.
  • 6 December 2014, Grace nominated ZANU PF Women’s league boss.
  • 10 December 2014, Emmerson Mnangagwa (ED) is made Vice President of the Republic of Zimbabwe taking up the post left vacant after Mujuru was fired.
  • August 2016, #Thisflag/ Tajamuka and the countrywide demos, Harare resembles a war zone as police clash with demonstrators.
  • December 2016 Attempts on ED’s life through cyanide poisoning in his office.
  • Jan 2017, Mugabe’s dairy business, Gushungo Farm is bombed by soldiers
  • Mugabe war vets fall out, Mugabe tells them to go hang.
  • Christopher Mutsvangwa and Mandi Chimene fight to control the war veterans’ association
  • War vet leaders Douglas Mahiya and Victor Matemadanda arrested, and expelled from the ruling party.
  • Mandi Chimene and Sarah Mahoka attack Mnangagwa during a ZANU PF meeting for harbouring presidential ambitions.
  • Minister of Justice, Mnangagwa, attempts to amend law to give The President more power in the selection of the Chief Justice and Judge President. This happened when the Justice Service Commission was conducting interviews to take the post of Chief Justice.
  • December 2016, ED is pictured drinking from a mug inscribed, ‘I am the Boss’, sparking a war of words with the Generation 40 cabal fronted by Grace Mugabe and Jonathan Moyo.
  • ED attacked by Grace for wanting to be president
  • Saviour Kasukuwere must fall demonstrations hit Zimbabwe, allegedly planned by Mnangagwa’s faction, Team Lacoste.
  • ED demoted from Justice Ministry, as Mugabe tries to clip Mnangagwa’s wings in order to neutralise him.
  • ED is poisoned, after allegedly eating an ice cream from Mugabe’s farm; he is taken to hospital by Chiwenga (organised a helicopter) and Mohadi accompanied ED to the military hospital at Thorn Hill Air Base in Gweru.
  • Blue Ocean coup warning, Jonathan Moyo plays a video to a ZANU PF politburo meeting, exposing ED’s plan to topple Mugabe.
  • Mugabe warns army that the military should not interfere in political matters.
  • 4 November 2017, Grace is booed, at a youth interface rally in Bulawayo, her husband, Mugabe threatens to fire ED the next day.
  • 6 November 2017, ED is fired, he border jumps, into Mozambique with Mugabe’s boys in hot pursuit.
  • 8 November 2017, ED warns Mugabe in a letter; “I will be back soon to take over power.”
  • From China, Army General Constantino Chiwenga warns ED’s enemies that the military was ready to jump in to stop drama in the ruling party, describes it a threat to national security.
  • Mugabe’s plot to arrest Chiwenga at the Robert Mugabe International Airport is foiled, as military intelligence got the wind of the plan and rounded up police details deployed by Mugabe to make the arrest.
  • 14 November 2017, Military tanks invade the streets of Harare and Bulawayo demanding Mugabe’s departure from the highest office.
  • 15 November 2017, Mugabe is placed under house arrest, by the army and the country’s national broadcaster Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation HQ at Pockets Hill in Harare is taken over by the military announcing that the dictator was no longer in power and under house arrest.
  • 18 November 2017, Zimbabweans from all walks of life, march in major cities demanding that Mugabe should immediately resign.
  • Mugabe defies, the calls for him to step down, addresses nation saying he will preside over party’s congress due in few weeks, that December.
  • 21 November 2017, Proceedings to impeach Mugabe starts at the Harare International Conference Centre in Harare, Mugabe resigns, sending Zimbabweans world over into jubilation. The country spends a night without a President, ED appointed the new leader in absentia
  • ED returns, from exile to finish Mugabe’s term of office
  • Chiwenga/ Kembo Mohadi appointed Mnangagwa’s deputies.