2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état

2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état
Part of the 2016–17 Zimbabwe protests

A Zimbabwe Defence Forces APC in downtown Harare during the coup
Date14–21 November 2017 (2017-11-14 – 2017-11-21) (1 week)
Location
Harare, Zimbabwe
Result

Coup succeeded

  • Robert Mugabe resigns from the office of President of Zimbabwe after impeachment proceedings are initiated
  • Emmerson Mnangagwa becomes the 3rd President of Zimbabwe
Belligerents
Team Lacoste Generation 40
Commanders and leaders

Emmerson Mnangagwa
(Vice-President)

  • Constantino Chiwenga
  • Philip Valerio Sibanda
  • Perrance Shiri
  • Christopher Mutsvangwa
  • Sibusiso Moyo

Robert Mugabe
(President)

  • Grace Mugabe
  • Phelekezela Mphoko
  • Jonathan Moyo
  • Saviour Kasukuwere
  • Ignatius Chombo
  • Patrick Zhuwao
  • Walter Mzembi

In November 2017, Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe was removed as president and party leader of ZANU–PF and was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa.

On the evening of 14 November 2017, elements of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) gathered around Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, and seized control of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and key areas of the city. The next day, the ZDF issued a statement saying that it was not a coup d'état and that President Mugabe was safe, although the situation would return to normal only after the ZDF had dealt with the "criminals" around Mugabe responsible for the socio-economic problems of Zimbabwe.[1] Jacob Zuma, then-President of South Africa, phoned Mugabe and was told that Mugabe was under house arrest but otherwise "fine".[2]

The uprising took place amid tensions in the ruling ZANU–PF party between former First Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa (who was backed by the ZDF) and First Lady Grace Mugabe (who was backed by the younger G40 faction) over who would succeed the 93-year-old President Mugabe. A week after Mnangagwa was fired and forced to flee the country, and a day before troops moved into Harare, Zimbabwe Defence Forces chief Constantino Chiwenga issued a statement that purges of senior ZANU–PF officials like Mnangagwa had to stop.[3]

On 19 November, ZANU-PF removed Mugabe as party leader, replacing him with Mnangagwa, and issued a deadline of 20 November for Mugabe to resign the presidency or face impeachment. Mugabe did not resign, so on 21 November a joint session of Parliament met for his impeachment. After the session convened, Mugabe sent a letter to Zimbabwe's Parliament resigning the presidency.[4] Second Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko became the Acting President.[5] Mnangagwa was sworn in as president on 24 November 2017.[6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Zimbabwe's President Mugabe resigns". BBC. 21 November 2017. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Experts clear the air on succession – The Herald". Herald.co.zw. Archived from the original on 23 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa sworn in as president". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 24 November 2017. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017. Zimbabwe's Emmerson Mnangagwa has been sworn in as the country's president, bringing the final curtain down on the 37-year rule of Robert Mugabe.
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