The 2017 transition of power in Zimbabwe was highly unconventional and widely regarded by many as a military coup, though military officials publicly denied this characterization. Robert Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe with an authoritarian grip from its independence in 1980 until his ousting in 2017—a span of 37 years.
In November 2017, Mugabe dismissed his first vice president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, in an apparent attempt to position his wife, Grace Mugabe, as his successor. This move triggered a swift response from the military, which led to Mugabe’s removal from office within two weeks. Emmerson Mnangagwa was subsequently sworn in as president.
Authoritarian regimes often suppress social movements through both overt and covert means—ranging from the use of state security forces like the military to more subtle strategies such as media manipulation and co-optation. While such regimes may publicly profess a commitment to human rights, meaningful progress in these areas is frequently driven by grassroots activism and collective civic engagement—often referred to as “people power.”