After Zimbabwe’s Diet Coup

The past few weeks witnessed the dramatic culmination of a protracted contestation for power in Zimbabwe between various factions. The former vice-president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, emerged as the victor and First Secretary of the ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) and the third president of the Republic of Zimbabwe on the 24th of November, 2017, albeit through an unprecedented quasi-reset of the political stage. One of the key lessons in politics is that loyalty is fickle and interests are permanent. Less than 7 days before President Robert Mugabe was recalled from ZANU-PF as its First Secretary, many from within the party were cheering him and declaring that he would be their candidate in next year’s harmonized elections. However, just a few weeks on and many of his supporters have evidently changed course.