If the General Was the Vice President, Would ED Have Done the Same?

By Staff Reporter
Let us imagine a different scenario.
It is 2017. The Vice President of Zimbabwe is retired General Constantino Chiwenga, while the Commander of the Defence Forces is Emmerson Mnangagwa.
On 12 August 2017, Vice President Chiwenga is allegedly poisoned through ice cream in Gwanda. Somehow, President Robert Mugabe attempts to block his immediate evacuation for medical treatment. The question then becomes: would General Mnangagwa have had the courage to order a helicopter to evacuate Chiwenga to South Africa for urgent care?
On 6 November 2017, Vice President Chiwenga is fired by Mugabe. Would Mnangagwa, as the army commander in this imagined scenario, have instructed the military to safely escort him out of the country?
On 13 November 2017, would Mnangagwa have convened a press conference alongside other generals to openly challenge the President?
On 15 November, would he have ordered the launch of Operation Restore Legacy?
On 18 November, cornered and under pressure, Mugabe attempts to strike a deal with Chiwenga — offering him the chance to lead the country instead of Mnangagwa. If the roles were reversed, would Mnangagwa have rejected such an offer in favour of constitutional order?
Then comes 20 November. Mugabe resigns. Would Mnangagwa, if he had been the military commander in this hypothetical situation, have handed over power to Chiwenga, the sitting Vice President?