The man believed to be behind the coup in
Zimbabwe is the country's recently sacked vice president, Emmerson
Mnangagwa - also known as 'The Crocodile'.
Mnangagwa,
75, is a notorious and much-feared figure in Zimbabwe, having led a
vicious crackdown on opponents in the 1980s with the help of the dreaded
North Korean-trained Fifth Army brigade.
Thousands of civilians were killed during the Gukurahundi campaign, but Mnangagwa has always denied involvement.
His
reputation for cruelty is so legendary that he was one of the few
leaders of Zimbabwe known to drive around the country without security.
He is also known for his unpredictable darting eyes.
He
has had a long and varied political career, leading at one point the
justice, defence, housing and finance ministries as well as being the
speaker of the lower house and a spymaster.
Mnangagwa was widely viewed as Mugabe's successor until he was ditched by the president last week and fled to South Africa.
Mugabe
had accused his former deputy of plotting to take power from him, while
his ambitious wife Grace referred to him as a snake that 'must be hit
on the head' after the two clashed.
In 1983, Mnangagwa led a major
crackdown in Matabeleland, in the southwest of Zimbabwe. Tens of
thousands of people were killed. Pictured: Bodies found in Matabeleland
after the massacre
Zimbabweans sitting in front of
Salibury prison (where Mugabe and Mnangagwa met and forged their
political alliance) in 1968 after the triple hanging of James Dhlamini,
Victor Mlambo and Duly Shadrack, was ordered by Ian Smith's government -
despite Queen Elizabeth II issuing a royal reprieve
Mnangagwa was mentioned by,
among others, the tycoon Roland Rowland at the time of the Gukurahundi
massacres. Pictured: Mugabe (centre) and Mnangagwa (right) together
Mnangagwa's
reputation for cruelty is so legendary that he was one of the few
leaders of Zimbabwe known to drive around the country without security.
Pictured: The former vice president claps after being presented with a
fake crocodile as homage to his nickname
He is a leader of the so-called
'Lacoste' faction - named after the clothes firm's crocodile logo, which
matches Mnangagwa's reptilian nickname - within Mugabe's party. The
group enjoys strong support among military figures. Pictured: Mugabe
with Mnangagwa
Mnangagwa was sentenced to ten
years in jail, being kept at Salisbury Prison, Grey Prison, Khami Prison
and Harare Prison. While imprisoned in Salisbury (later renamed
Harare), he became close to Mugabe and other nationalist leaders.
Pictured: Mnangagwa with Mugabe and Josiah Tongogara, a guerrilla
commander
Mugabe had accused his former
deputy of plotting to take power from him, while his ambitious wife
Grace referred to him as a snake that 'must be hit on the head' after
the two clashed. Pictured right: Mnangagwa with Mugabe in 2004
University of London-educated
Mnangagwa has been close to Mugabe since the two were involved in the
struggle against racist white-minority rule in then-Rhodesia.
Pictured: Mnangagwa (right) being sworn in as vice president by Mugabe
(left) in 2014
He earned his 'Crocodile'
nickname when he returned to Zimbabwe and led a gang of fighters called
the 'Crocodile Group' during the civil war. Pictured: Mnangagwa in 2016
First Lady:
Grace Mugabe, 52, pictured with her husband, has been seen as being a
successor to her husband after her opponent was fired. With the events
of last night, the struggle between Grace and Mnangagwa to succeed
93-year-old Mugabe appears to be shifting in the Crocodile's favour
But
Mnangagwa, who recently survived a poisoning attempt blamed on
ice-cream from Mugabe's own dairy, has been telling allies he would
return rapidly and everything would soon be 'sorted'.
He
is a leader of the so-called 'Lacoste' faction - named after the
clothes firm's crocodile logo, which matches Mnangagwa's reptilian
nickname - within Mugabe's party. The group enjoys strong support among
military figures.
It is locked in a struggle with Grace's G40 group.
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