What REALLY happened to Mugabe and could it happen again?
Episode description
We look at recent events in Zimbabwe and the formation of the March 31 movement and ask how significant a threat it presents to President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Dr BLESSING-MILES TENDI, a politics professor at Oxford University, is the author of The Overthrow of Robert Mugabe - Gender, Coups, and Diplomats. He takes us through the complex political landscape of Zimbabwe today as well as the historical context of the 2017 coup against Robert Mugabe.
Dr Tendi highlights the rifts between the elites within the ruling party, the role of the military, and the influence of the 'struggle generation' on current politics.
He is an expert on coups and Dr Tendi highlights the misconceptions surrounding coups and the challenges of succession planning in Zimbabwe.
We consider the international responses to the coup, and how Zimbabweans felt about the aftermath.
Dr Tendi emphasises the importance of understanding the past when considering the future dynamic of civilian and military authorities.
*We ask when is a coup not a coup? Find out why the international community was reluctant to classify the events of 2017 as a coup.
*How far did Mugabe's iconic status as a liberating figure influence the way he was handled by the generals?
- Has President Mnangagwa coup-proofed his administration?
- Have the tensions within the military been resolved?
Just some of the questions we grapple with in this episode of Africa Here and Now
The Overthrow of Robert Mugabe - Gender, Coups and Diplomats by Blessing-Miles Tendi
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