CHENNAI: Wednesday’s coup was the first army intervention in Zimbabwe's politics since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980. The 93-year-old Robert Mugabe, who had been in power since 1980, first as prime minister and then as president was placed under house arrest. The coup was preceded by a bitter tussle between Mugabe's wife Grace and sacked vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa.
*Who is Robert Gabriel Mugabe?*
Mugabe is the world’s oldest head of state. He has been president of Zimbabwe since 1987. Born on October 24, 1924, Mugabe, the son of a poor carpenter, grew up to become an anti-colonial hero who played a key role in his country’s struggle for independence from Britain.
Mugabe’s entered politics in 1960. That year, after returning to Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia) from South Africa where he worked as a teacher, he joined other nationalist leaders and took part in revolutionary activities. In 1964, while serving as a member of the militant Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), he was arrested and jailed. He was not released until 1974.
However, his 10 years in prison only sharpened Mugabe’s resolve. Soon after his release, he led ZANU in a guerrilla war with the white colonial administration to achieve majority rule.
By 1979, when Zimbabwe won independence, Mugabe had become the country's pivotal figure. Between 1977 and 1979, while serving as the ZANU chief, he reportedly eliminated many senior leaders who fell out of favour with him or were threatening his leadership. Less than a year after the Lancaster Agreement of 1979, in which Britain agreed to transfer power, Mugabe was elected the prime minister. However, Mugabe soon became an autocrat who used all means at his disposal to perpetuate his hold on power. In 1982, he sacked Joshua Nkomo, a member of his cabinet and one of the founders of the Zimbabwe African People’s Union.
*How did Zimbabwe fare under Mugabe?*
Zimbabwe has made little progress since 1980 (this is not to say there was progress under colonial rule). In 2017, nearly a third of Zimbabweans still face food shortages, according to the UN. The country ranks 154 in the world on the Human Development Index. Political violence has been rampant and scores of people have been killed, especially since 1999, when opposition to Mugabe became organised in the form of political outfits like the Movement for Democratic Change.
Poverty grips a vast majority of the country’s households. In 2017, Zimbabwe’s National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations said the unemployment rate was 95 per. As a result of lack of opportunities, many Zimbabweans, especially young, migrated to South Africa in search of jobs.
Meanwhile, Mugabe was accused of corruption and nepotism. His wife Grace is known derisively as the country’s 'First Shopper' and 'Gucci Grace' for her profligate lifestyle. This probably weakened her appeal as a successor to Mugabe. According to Guardian, Grace reportedly spent 75,000 pounds (Rs 64.5 lakh) recently while on a shopping spree in Paris.
*What were the land reforms of 2000? *
Until 2000, large tracts of Zimbabwe’s arable land was still under the control of white Zimbabweans of European ancestry. According to an article in the Washington Post, "Four thousand white farmers own nearly a third of Zimbabwe's most fertile farmland, while blacks squeeze onto tiny plots that yield little more than misery."
In 2000, in the light of growing opposition to his rule, Mugabe consented to military veterans’ demand for the expropriation of farmlands held by white farmers. Large amounts of farmland previously owned by white farmers were taken over by Black Zimbabweans. The Guardian billed it as a bid to “correct the colonial legacy that left huge tracts of land in the hands of complacent white farmers.” In March 2000, Mugabe’s supporters began invading farmlands.
Those who supported the land reforms argued that colonists had taken over lands that previously belonged to Zimbabweans. As white farmers abandoned their land and fled the country, it caused massive hunger and poverty.
According to the UN Human Rights Council, seven farmers were killed and thousands were forced to flee in those years. This led to an international outcry and many western countries, particularly Britain, imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe. Many argue that Mugabe consented to the land reforms because he was wary of the Movement for Democratic Change’s (now a viable challenger to his grip on power) growing popularity among black farmers.
*Is Zimbabwe a democracy? *
Technically, Zimbabwe is a democracy. However, since taking charge as prime minister in 1980, Robert Mugabe worked hard to prolong his hold on power, first by amending the constitution in 1987 and then by eliminating political opponents. His party has managed to win elections continuously, despite the country’s appalling performance on the economic front. The elections, many western observers say, were rigged. Voter intimidation and violence by pro-Mugabe groups have also been reported, most notably in the 2000 and 2008 elections to the Zimbabwean parliament. The rule of law and freedom of the press are absent. Journalists routinely face harassment.
*What events preceded the coup?*
To understand Wednesday’s coup, one should consider the power struggle between Robert Mugabe’s wife Grace and the country’s former vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa. Mnangagwa had the support of a sizeable section of the country’s populace, including the top brass of the military, to succeed Mugabe as the leader of Zimbabwe’s ZANU - Patriotic Front (formed after Mugabe's Zimbabwe African People's Union merged with Zimbabwe African National Union). The question of who would succeed the 93-year-old Mugabe had sparked tensions among his close associates. Grace Mugabe and Emmerson Mnangagwa emerged as clear contenders.
However, Grace had fallen out of favour with the military. The ZANU-PF was divided in recent years among young leaders and veterans. Grace and the military ended up supporting opposing groups in this intra-party tug of war. While the military-backed veteran leaders -- many of whom had fought in the revolution (Mnangagwa is one of them) -- Grace's support has been with the young leaders of the party.
In August, the Washington Post raised the possibility of a coup in Zimbabwe. “Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander Gen. Constantine Chiwenga or others may choose to step in and install Mnangagwa, a fellow liberation war veteran, or another leader who will secure their interests,” the newspaper predicted.
What appears to have triggered Wednesday's events is the sudden sacking of Mnangagwa, whom the military saw as a viable successor to Mugabe. Many interpreted the sacking as a move to pave the way for Grace Mugabe to succeed the ailing president. A few days ago, there were rumours that many ZANU - PF leaders backed by the army were about to be sacked.