Former CIO boss harshly criticises Mnangagwa

Former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) Deputy Director-General, Lovemore Mukandi, has harshly criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa's 2017 rise to power, describing it as "disastrous" for Zimbabwe. In his new autobiography, How Emmerson Mnangagwa Blindsided Robert Mugabe and Grabbed Zimbabwe, Mukandi likens Mnangagwa's coup to a dark storm that has plunged the country into deeper economic, political, and social turmoil.

Mukandi's book offers a first-hand account of the events leading up to the military coup in November 2017 that ousted then-President Robert Mugabe. He argues that conditions in Zimbabwe have worsened under Mnangagwa, who used positions of trust under Mugabe to place loyalists in key positions, enabling him to orchestrate an undemocratic seizure of power.

According to Mukandi, Mnangagwa realized early on that he could not win free and fair elections, prompting him to begin plotting his rise to power in the 1980s. These long-term maneuvers culminated in the 2017 coup, which Mukandi claims was part of a broader strategy to achieve Mnangagwa's burning desire to rule Zimbabwe.

The former CIO official, who served the organization for 18 years and worked closely with Mugabe, Mnangagwa, and other top security and defense officials, provides a detailed insider perspective. His autobiography sheds light on behind-the-scenes plots, offering insights not available in the public domain and filling crucial gaps in Zimbabwe's political history.

Mukandi’s revelations are expected to spark further debate on the legacy of Mnangagwa's coup and its impact on the nation.