Who Is Zimbabwe's New Leader, Emmerson Mnangagwa?
"The Crocodile," "The Enforcer," "The Bodyguard," "The Spymaster." Those are just some of the names Zimbabwe's new leader goes by.
One could also add "The Survivor."
The nicknames are an indication of what Zimbabweans can expect of Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is 75, and poised to be sworn in as president , to replace his one-time mentor Robert Mugabe, on Nov. 24.
As a young 18-year-old recruit to the independence liberation struggle, Mnangagwa was condemned to die by the Rhodesian authorities the guerrilla warriors — combatants and strategists — were trying to depose.
On Nov. 6 2017, Mnangagwa faced another challenge: He was fired as vice president by former president Mugabe — a decision that led to the rapid unraveling of the veteran leader's 37-year rule.
The military chief refused to accept Mnangagwa's dismissal and warned the army might intervene to restore stability and end political chaos in Zimbabwe. The next day the military, which is an integral part of the governing ZANU-PF party behemoth, seized control and confined Mugabe to his residence.
By then Mnangagwa, once touted as Mugabe's heir apparent, was long gone — to neighboring South Africa in temporary exile, saying he
