Emmerson Mnangagwa

== 2017 coup d'état ==
{{Main|2017 Zimbabwean coup d'état}}On 8 November 2017, two days after his dismissal as vice-president, Mnangagwa fled Zimbabwe, first to [[Mozambique]] and then to South Africa, to escape what he called "incessant threats" against him and his family.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-08/mugabe-guts-zimbabwe-security-state-with-deputy-s-dismissal "Zimbabwe's Ousted Vice President Flees After Death Threats"], ''[[Bloomberg News]]'', USA, 8 November 2017. Retrieved on 8 November 2017.</ref> Around a week later, on 14 November 2017, elements of the Zimbabwean military gathered in Harare, seizing control of the [[Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation]] (ZBC) and key areas of the city.<ref name=":02">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41992351|title=Zimbabwe crisis: Army takes over, says Mugabe is safe|date=15 November 2017|access-date=15 November 2017|work=[[BBC News]]|language=en-GB}}</ref> The following day, Major General [[Sibusiso Moyo]], representing the [[Zimbabwe Defence Forces]], gave a live statement broadcast on the ZBC, the state broadcaster.<ref name=":62">{{Cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/14/africa/zimbabwe-military-chief-treasonable-conduct/index.html|title=Zimbabwe army denies military takeover in live address on state TV|last1=McKenzie|first1=David|date=15 November 2017|access-date=15 November 2017|publisher=[[CNN]]|last2=Swails|first2=Brent|last3=Berlinger|first3=Joshua}}</ref> Moyo asserted that the military was not taking over and that President Mugabe was safe, and that the military was "targeting criminals" responsible for the country's problems.<ref name=":62" /><ref name=":82">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/14/world/africa/zimbabwe-mugabe-mnangagwa-chiwenga.html|title=Zimbabwe's Military, in Apparent Takeover, Says It Has Custody of Mugabe|last1=Moyo|first1=Jeffrey|date=14 November 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=15 November 2017|last2=Onishi|first2=Norimitsu|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-11-15 |title=Mugabe is 'safe and sound' Zimbabwe's army says |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KClcw5KPBqE |access-date=2023-01-09 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

On 19 November 2017, Mugabe was sacked by ZANU–PF, and Grace Mugabe and 20 of her high-ranking supporters were expelled from the party. Mnangagwa, who was in South Africa at the time, was chosen as the party's new leader, and was expected to soon become president.<ref>{{cite web |date=16 November 2017 |title=Robert Mugabe set to hand over power to ex-VP Emmerson Mnangagwa 'imminently' – report |url=https://www.today.ng/news/africa/33348/robert-mugabe-set-hand-power-emmerson-mnangagwa-imminently-report |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171119070546/https://www.today.ng/news/africa/33348/robert-mugabe-set-hand-power-emmerson-mnangagwa-imminently-report |archive-date=19 November 2017 |access-date=19 November 2017 |website=TodayNG}}</ref> President Mugabe was given a deadline of noon on November 20 to resign before impeachment proceedings would begin. Mugabe initially refused to step down, but ultimately resigned the next day before he could be impeached.<ref name="chiefwhip" /> ZANU–PF immediately nominated Mnangagwa as his successor, and it was announced that he would take over within 48 hours.<ref name="chiefwhip" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-42063744|title=As it happened: Mugabe resigns|date=2017-11-21|website=BBC News}}</ref> Mnangagwa returned to Zimbabwe on 22 November from South Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/zimbabwe-poised-swear-president-mnangagwa-51318794|title=Zimbabwe's incoming leader returns home to cheers|website=[[ABC News]]|access-date=22 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171122222452/http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/zimbabwe-poised-swear-president-mnangagwa-51318794|archive-date=22 November 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> The ZBC confirmed that Mnangagwa would be sworn in on 24 November 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-42077233|title='New democracy unfolding' in Zimbabwe|work=BBC News|date=22 November 2017}}</ref> The day before his inauguration, Mnangagwa urged his followers not to seek "vengeful retribution" against his political enemies, after calls emerged from his supporters to attack the Generation 40 faction.<ref name="RTE2017-11-24a2">{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2017/1124/922496-zimbabwe/|title=Zimbabwe's Mnangagwa sworn in as president|date=24 November 2017|publisher=[[RTÉ]]|access-date=25 November 2017}}</ref>