HARARE – Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has reportedly thrown down the gauntlet at his own deputy, Constantino Chiwenga, and the military establishment, declaring himself the undisputed leader in what analysts describe as the most explosive power play since the 2017 coup that ousted Robert Mugabe. In remarks allegedly made during a closed-door meeting with ZANU-PF loyalists, Mnangagwa is said to have asserted, ‘I am KING’—a phrase that has sent shockwaves through the ruling party and the broader Southern African political landscape.
The empire strikes back: what Mnangagwa’s ‘king’ remark means
‘This is an extraordinary escalation,’ said Dr. Kudzai Mutsvairo, a political analyst at the University of Zimbabwe. ‘Mnangagwa is essentially telling the military’s political arm, “I don’t need you anymore.” But without the army’s support, his position becomes extremely fragile. The king rhetoric suggests either supreme confidence or desperate delusion.’
The tension has been brewing for months. In late 2024, Chiwenga was conspicuously absent from key state functions, fueling speculation of a rift. Meanwhile, Mnangagwa’s inner circle has been accused of purging pro-Chiwenga officials from the party’s central committee. The military, which still controls lucrative diamond and gold mining concessions, has shown no public reaction, but defense sources in Pretoria say the generals are ‘watching closely.’
Geopolitical stakes: Zimbabwe’s fragility threatens Southern Africa
Zimbabwe’s internal power feud has direct consequences for the region. As a landlocked country, Harare depends on South Africa for its imports and exports, and a sudden collapse of the state could trigger a refugee crisis. South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor warned in February that ‘any political instability in Zimbabwe will affect the entire SADC region.’
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has remained largely silent on the latest upheaval, but behind-the-scenes diplomacy is intensifying. Botswana and Zambia have privately expressed alarm, given their own troubled histories with military interference in politics. ‘Zimbabwe is a test case for whether Africa’s old guard can manage peaceful transitions of power,’ said Dr. Thandi Ndlovu, a regional security expert based in Johannesburg. ‘If Mnangagwa refuses to hand over to Chiwenga—who himself is a military man—the risk of a second coup in seven years becomes very real.’
Data from the International Crisis Group shows that since 1990, half of all coups in sub-Saharan Africa have occurred when a leader tried to extend his rule or sidelined a powerful deputy. Zimbabwe’s economy, already running a budget deficit of over 12 percent of GDP, cannot withstand even a short leadership vacuum. The national power utility, ZESA, has resorted to daily blackouts of 18 hours, and food imports have become the country’s largest single expenditure.
Military’s quiet calculus
The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) have not issued any statement regarding Mnangagwa’s reported remarks. However, a retired senior officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said the military views itself as ‘the ultimate guarantor of state stability.’ He added, ‘The president is not a king. He was put there by the men in uniform, and they can remove him if he forgets their role.’
The officer’s comments echo the ZDF’s historical behavior. In 2017, the military staged Operation Restore Legacy, which ended Mugabe’s 37-year rule in a matter of days. Yet, the same officer cautioned that the generals may not have the appetite for another intervention. ‘The army is stretched by peacekeeping missions in Mozambique and internal deployment to crack down on dissent. A coup would be messy this time.’
Mnangagwa’s camp has not denied the ‘I am KING’ comment but instead has circulated a statement that the president is ‘fully in charge and dismissive of small-minded factionalism.’ The opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) seized on the news, calling for an emergency session of parliament. ‘We are witnessing the unraveling of a dictatorship,’ said CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere. ‘The people of Zimbabwe are not subjects of a monarchy. We demand constitutional succession.’
But ordinary Zimbabweans, many struggling to afford basic bread, express exhaustion. ‘I don’t care who is king. I care about my empty stomach,’ said Blessing Moyo, a street vendor in Harare. ‘The big men are fighting over chairs while we starve.’
As the SADC prepares for a summit in August, the question hanging over the region is whether Mnangagwa will survive his own declaration and whether the military will finally show its hand. For now, the power struggle inside ZANU-PF is moving from backroom whispers to open defiance—and the consequences could be felt far beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.
