At 92, Robert Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for longer than most Zimbabweans have been alive, taking office in 1980 after a brutal war and negotiated peace deal.
In his early years in power, Mugabe was hailed as a visionary leader who reconciled with former colonial rulers and promoted one of the most impressive education systems on the continent.
But he has since presided over an economic meltdown, violent suppression of dissent, and a regime frequently accused of corruption, and suppressing human rights.
In recent months, rumors of Mugabe’s health have swirled unabated. It has become a parlor game for Zimbabwean’s on social media to track his presidential plane in case he is spirited out of the country. Rumors of his death have surfaced — more than once.
Emmerson Mnangagwa is Zimbabwe’s co-Vice President, justice minister, and one of the most powerful figures in the country.
Nicknamed “The Crocodile” for his political cunning and also, perhaps, for the name of the guerrilla group he helped lead during the fight for independence, Mnangagwa is a feared figure in Zimbabwe — not only for his closeness to Robert Mugabe, but also for his hold on the state security apparatus.
Mnangagwa was the country’s spy chief in the 1980s when a campaign of terror was unleashed by the North Korean-trained fifth brigade against political opponents and civilians in Matabeleland known as the Gukurahundi.
