Emmerson Mnangagwa
He was nicknamed the 'Crocodile' for his shrewdness and for aiding Mr Mugabe's brutal suppression of political foes. In a strange twist, there are now suggestions that this may have been the very cause of his political woes as rivals plot to neutralise him in the country's power equation.
The sacked vice-president of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, has fled the country after receiving death threats. He had not only been removed from the position of vice-president, he was also expelled from the ruling party. The controversial politician has however vowed to return to lead the nation.
Emmerson Mnangagwa and Grace Mugabe
This former ally of president Mugabe had been seen as a potential successor to the long-time leader but it now appears that Mr Mugabe's wife Grace is poised for the role.
Mnangagwa, 75, claims the 93-year-old president is planning to hand power to Grace, and a cabal of younger backers.
The deposed vice-president now plans to head a formidable coalition of opponents constituting the biggest challenge to Mr Mugabe's 37-year grip on power since Morgan Tsvangirai launched the opposition Movement for Democratic Change in 1999.
Mugabe and the sacked vice-president
Trying to rally the opposition from exile, Mr Mnangagwa said,
''Let us bury our differences and build a new and prosperous Zimbabwe, a country that is tolerant of divergent views, a country that respects the opinions of others, a country that does not isolate itself from the rest of the world because of one stubborn individual who believes he is entitled to rule until his death.''
Mugabe and Mnangagwa during the war of independence
Meanwhile Mr Mugabe was telling thousands of cheering supporters that Mr Mnangagwa had plotted to take over since becoming a vice-president in 2014.
Hear Mr Mugabe,
''People were told that I would retire in March, but I did not. Upon realising that I wasn't retiring, he started consulting traditional healers and witch doctors on when I was going to die.''
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